


Nori's Labyrinth

by Melee12



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Jealousy, Labyrinth AU, M/M, Modern AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Side BagginShield, being a shitty brother to one another, being an overbearing brother, blood and gore (due to goblin fighting), homophobic language (minimal in prologue), mention of character dating people they don't want to, nwalin - Freeform, side darlin, talking about homophobia, uncomfortable situations, unwanted touching (mostly helping hands/smaug)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-08-23 12:50:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8328637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melee12/pseuds/Melee12
Summary: Labyrinth Nwalin AU!   When Nori accidentally wishes away his brother, he gets caught up in an unresolved conflict from long ago.  Will Nori solve the labyrinth before time runs out or will he be forced to obey to Smaug's will?  Based off of my favourite movie, 'Labyrinth,' produced with the help of the late, great David Bowie.  Rest in Peace sweet Goblin King.





	1. The Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The Labyrinth is one of my favourite movies and the hobbit characters are my favourite guys in the world so I just had to merge them. Thank you so much for clicking on it! Please enjoy.

# Prologue

_Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered,_

Untold and unnumbered? That was a bit dramatic. 

_I fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen,_

More like walked than fought. And didn’t she ask him to take the baby?

_For my will is as strong as yours and kingdom is as great._

Kingdom? She had to have meant household.

_You have no---_

Was that a raindrop? There was a wet little splatter right next to the capital ‘y’ in ‘you’. The weather channel Dori had on this morning, had said rain, hadn’t it? _Shit._

Nori closed and clutched his precious book to his chest. As much as he had challenged the end of the book, he still loved it. It had been the last gift his father had given him before walking out of his life completely. 

The sky was darkening with rumbles of thunder rolling through the air. He hissed as a cold air current swept through his hiding spot, a large rock in the middle of the park, surrounded by dense trees. It must have been already sprinkling, but the leaves had been protecting him from most of it. Nori had ran into the park to escape the bullies following him, choosing his favourite of eight hiding spots here to read the ending of his book and wait them out. 

He hated running, but with five homophobic, hormonal jocks, all near half a head taller than him, he didn’t have much of a choice. Nori wasn’t openly gay, but being the president of art club and taking part in any theater production the school and the community theater house had put him in the thugs’ spotlight, whether they knew he was gay or not. 

“Summers, you see that fag anywhere?!” Came a yell to Nori’s left from Martin Rosencrance, the leader of the jocks.

Nori winced. He guessed it didn’t really matter, even if the only ones he had ever told were his mother, Dori, and his two best friends, Frerin and Dis. Also a very small, small string of secret ex-boyfriends. 

“Not yet! You think he left?! I’m getting soaked over here!” Yelled Chris Summers, second in command. 

The rain was getting worse. Nori could hear it. It was finally starting to get through the trees and fall on him. He gritted his teeth, hoping the rain would make them end their chase for the afternoon. Nori wanted nothing more than to stomp back into the main area of the park and sock Martin in the nose, but that was a bad idea. One of them, even two maybe, Nori would risk taking on alone, even if the consequences could leave him with a black eye and a bloody nose, but with all five there, he had to back down.

“Probably cut across the park and went around, running home to his mommy like a scared little puppy!” Martin laughed loudly. His gang laughed along with him. “Monday, we’ll get him boys. Before the game we can lock him in the locker room, then have our fun with him after we beat the Bakerville Bears!”

Nori’s fists clenched. He couldn’t believe someone like this made him want to skip school on Monday so badly. Another person shouldn’t be allowed to make him feel like this. It hurt. He hated to hurt. His heart pumped with anger and resentment as the laughs trailed away in the rain. Nori wanted nothing more than revenge, not that he knew how to get it. 

He wished to sink into his book, which would no doubt begin to get wet if he didn’t hurry up and leave. He let out a soft sigh as his inner rage dissipated into throbbing depression. Life wasn’t like the stories and the plays. Happy endings didn’t exist. This was what his life would be like, forever. He would have his few friends, Dori, his mother, and his baby brother, Ori. That was it.

It wasn’t like once he graduated this year he’d get away. Basically everyone from their class was moving from the high school to the community college in the center of town, including the dumb jocks. The college had offered the jocks scholarships to make them play on their new football team, so his hopes that they would go somewhere else were crushed. He couldn’t afford much more than the college in town. They were ready to give him a rather large performing arts scholarship, but that was because the theatrical director at his school was friends with the one at the college. The both of them wanted to see Nori move onto more in life, even though he doubted that would happen. 

He probably could have gotten somewhere better if he had applied himself and did well in school. He wasn’t stupid, he just didn’t care to do homework or participate in class and that was such a large portion of the fucking grade. At least Frerin would be going with him, and then next year Dis would join them.

The rain was getting harder. 

Nori shoved his book under his shirt and crept out of his hiding spot. The laugher was gone and he was starting to get soaked. Nori cautiously walked to the entrance of the park. When he saw everything was clear, he went sprinting home.


	2. Uncomfortable Situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori is back home. Ignoring the life he has isn't easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's still Sunday in a few time zones behind me! This counts as posting a chapter on Sunday, right? It's only 1:30 am here, after all.
> 
> Artwork in middle of chapter by Asparklethatisblue on tumblr. ((http://asparklethatisblue.tumblr.com/image/152273017428))

# Uncomfortable Situations

By the time he was home, Nori was fully soaked through, with parts of his long hair sticking to his cheeks and neck.  He hung his body forward to keep his book protected, finally straightening out under the overhang of their family’s porch.  Nori groaned as he stood up straight, his legs and spine aching from the awkward position of holding himself forward for his book’s sake, and the quick pace he had kept.  He was used to running, but the park had been a fair distance away from home.

He went to reach for the knob of the front door when it was turned and yanked open before him.

“Where in heck have you been?!”  Yelled his older brother at the front door.  “It started raining!  I’ve texted you at least thirty times!  I tried calling at least fifty!”  Dori looked him up and down with disappointment in his face.  It went without saying that Dori had been worried sick.  “Come in here, you’re shivering.  Why didn’t you message me back at all?”  

Nori stomped in, splattering the mud from his shoes.  He didn’t want to put up with being questioned today.

“Because I didn’t have my phone on me.  It’s up in my bedroom.”

“Why?”  Dori pushed.

 _Because if I got caught by Martin and his horde of creeps they’d break this one, too._ “Because I forgot it.”

“And where’s your backpack?”

“In my locker at school.”  Nori groaned.

“Why?!”  Dori snapped, getting annoyed.

 _Because I only had time to grab my book from my locker after school and shut it before I had to run away from Martin and the trolls earlier._ “Because I forgot it.”

“You’d forget your damn head if it wasn’t screwed on!”  Dori yelled.

“Stop fighting, the two of you!”  Their mother called down the stairs.

“He came back soaking wet!”  Dori yelled up at her.  “Soaking wet with no call or text as to where he was, and he forgot his damn backpack!”

“Announce it to the world why don’t you!”  Nori glared at Dori.  “Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair soon, Dori.  I’m going to Frerin and Dis’ for a movie night.”

“Out?  You can’t go out!  Mom’s headed to work and I’m off on a date.  It’s your turn to watch Ori.”  Dori replied.  

No. There was no way that was happening.  Thorin, Frerin and Dis’ older brother, was off on business for the weekend, meaning he and his friends could have the whole house to themselves.  They could have their music loud and be up all night without worry of bothering their older, stoic brother.

“Not fair, I watched him last Friday! This Friday is my Friday!”  Nori complained.

“And I watched him that Saturday, right after.  It’s your turn!”  Dori retorted.  

“Boys, if you wake Ori, I’m grounding you both!”  Their mother called down again.  Dori might have been 22, and Nori newly 18, but it didn’t mean that their mother still didn’t have power over them.

Nori chose to ignore her words and carry on.

“No, I’m not doing it!  I’m going out!” Nori yelled at Dori.

Dori followed suit.

“Invite them over, it’s not like you can’t watch here!”  Dori yelled right back.

“Our house is smaller.  Plus we’d have to be quiet because of Ori!  Why are you even going on a date, it’s not like they’ll even call you back!”  Nori looked Dori up and down.  “And why are you even trying to date girls again?!  That fucking lilac sweater screams ‘GAY’!”

“Take that back!”  Dori snapped, although his voice had cracked, Nori had knowingly hit a sore spot.

“You’re as gay as me, stop doing this!  It hurts you and them, stupid!”  

“Not all of us in this family wants to flaunt it like you do.  I’m just trying to be normal!”

“Being something you aren’t isn’t normal!  Especially if it hurts you to do it!”

And from upstairs came the familiar cries of an 18 month old, stopping Dori from answering.

_Shit._

Dori and Nori’s mother came stomping downstairs.  Nori and Dori both turned towards the sound of her footsteps with eyes wide.  “Both of you are canceling your plans tonight.” She said sternly.  “You’re grounded for the weekend.”

“B-but mama, my date…”  Dori said quietly.

Mari, the boys’ mother, sighed.  “Dori, do you really want to go on a date with this girl?”

Dori stayed silent.

“I love you no matter who you choose to be with, woman or man, but please choose whatever makes you happier.”  She told him.  “And don’t lead anyone on.”

Dori guiltily cast his eyes to the ground.  He had been trying to date girls for a while in his last year of high school.  It didn’t go well for him.  He was trying again now, with the same unlucky results.  He wasn’t into them, girls, and they could tell, but he was having trouble coming to terms with what he really liked.  Nori couldn’t understand it.  Why not just be with a guy?  Dori was always swooning over guys on tv.  It was obvious what he was into.  He and their mother would never judge Dori for that.

“Nori, you aren’t going over to Frerin’s.  Go text him that movie night will have to be another night.  Then take a warm shower, you’re pale and shivering.  Dori, make sure he bundles up.  He’s on his way to catching a cold.”  She said as she began to go back up the steps to settle down Ori.

“Yes mother.”  Dori replied obediently.

“This is ridiculous.” Nori huffed softly as he headed up the stairs to his bedroom and grabbed his new prepaid cell.  

He was thankful his birthday had been last week and he had gotten some cash from his uncle.  A few days before his birthday, Martin and Chris had caught up to him, grabbed his tiny flip phone, and snapped the thing in half.  Luckily for him, their science teacher had been coming down the street so they had ran off before feeding him some knuckle sandwiches.  It had been a bitch hiding the broken cell and buying a new one as soon as possible.  Then he had to lie to his mother and Dori about the new number, telling them he was getting harassing phone calls for the previous owner of his old number.  

They believed it, although Dori was starting to get suspicious.  All through middle and high school, Nori had been able to hide the bullying.  It used to be name calling and just worthless things being stolen like pens and papers, but ever since the beginning of sophomore year, it had become physical.  Now and then there was a bruise he couldn’t hide right. Dori noticed.

Dori just had to be so inquisitive, didn’t he?  

Didn't matter, it wasn't his business.

Nori, finally in his bedroom, pulled off his wet sweatshirt, pants, and underwear.  They were thrown into a pile on his floor as he stalked off into the bathroom with his phone out.  Twenty three texts and eighteen missed calls.  Four of those texts and one of those calls were Frerin, the rest were all Dori.  Dori worried way too much.  Thank god for prepaid unlimited messages and minutes cards.  

He started a bath in his tub, not feeling up to a shower, added some bubble soap that smelt of peaches to it, and sat down on the toilet seat while reading Frerin’s texts:

**From: Frer Bear:  Sooooooo Dis rented the whole series of SAW Movies for tonight instead of what I asked her to from the library.  Hope you’re ready to cuddle!!!  These ones freak me out.  What time are you coming over?**

**From: Frer Bear:  BBY!?  Did you make it home okay?  You swore you would text me asap when you got home.**

**From: Frer Bear:  Nori, love?  You’re worrying me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**From: Frer Bear:  Nori, we’re going to the principal about this on Monday.  Did they hurt you?  Why don’t you ever let me walk you home?  I’d beat their faces in with you.  Please be okay.**

Nori sighed.  Of course Frerin was just as worried.  Going to the principal would never help.  If they did that and the jocks were kicked off the team, they’d be out for his, and possibly Frerin’s, blood.  

He held the phone up to his ear so he could listen to the voice mail:

“Nori?  Where are you?  If you need me to come get you, I can.  My brother left the keys to his second car here.  I can come pick you up...Or mow down those dumbasses with it.  Call me, Darling.  Or text me.  Just, something.”  There was a pause before the phone was hung up.  

Nori felt guilty about everything.  Frerin could help. And maybe others could,too, but that would just show Martin he was weak.  Nori could do this alone.  He could be strong alone.  

He still had to text back Frerin.

**To: Frer Bear:  Hey, I’m okay.  Hid in the park.  They didn’t find me.  But I’m grounded because I fought with Dori.  I can’t come over.**

He got a text almost immediately.

**From: Frer Bear:  About time! Bby, I was so worried!  I was about to go out in the rain and come looking for you!  Are you and Dori okay now? Glad to finally get a text back.**

**To: Frer Bear:  I’m okay, Frer.  Just going to take a bath and try to forget about tonight.  Dori and I will be fine.**

**From: Frer Bear:  Need me to come sneak up into your bedroom and keep that bath warm with you? ;)**

Nori laughed softly to himself.  Frerin and him were by no means in a relationship, but they were really close and Frerin liked to tease. They just weren’t each other’s type.  Well, Nori might have been Frerin’s type, but Nori prefered big guys, deep voices, and facial hair.  Either way, Frerin was okay with them being friends who sometimes kissed and cuddled when they were lonely.  It wasn’t like he didn’t have his own string of exs as well.  They made it work.

**To: Frer Bear:  Nooo, I’m good, you lame-o.  You can keep me comfy by texting me and not leaving me alone with Dori tonight that way.  He sent me more texts and calls than you did.**

**From: Frer Bear:  It’s because everyone looooooooooves you, bby.  Sure you don’t want me to sneak into your bedroom window?**

**From: Frer Bear: You know I will.  ;)  xoxoxo**

**To:  Frer Bear:  Maaaybe.  Depends if Dori is an asshat tonight.  If he is, I might need someone to cuddle.**

**From: Frer Bear:  Let me know.  Dis is going to make me watch this Saw marathon with her, next weekend maybe we could do it again with you?**

**To: Frer Bear:  Yeees.  Going to take my bath now.  Text you a little later.  All the x’s and o’s.**

**From: Frer Bear:  Bye bby! xoxoxoxoxo**

Nori put his phone down.  Texting Frerin always made him feel a little bit better.  

His phone buzzed again.

**From: The Ultimate Dis:  Sorry you can’t come over, Nor.  Monday we’ll go out for ice cream after school. Jus U and I.**

Nori grinned.

**To: The Ultimate Dis:  I want Frer to cooooome toooooo.  Maybe we could skip last class of the day?  Martin is planning shit for me.**

**From: The Ultimate Dis:  Fiiiiiine.  Boy, we need to get Thorin and kick Martin's ass.**

**To:  The Ultimate Dis:  Nooo.  I’ll handle this my way.  Bath time now.  Text you later.**

**From: The Ultimate Dis: ...fine.  Txt U L8er**

Dis and Frerin both helped.  Maybe Monday wouldn’t be so terrible.  It helped having people that cared about him.

He turned off the tap and tested the water. Nice and hot.  Perfect.  Nori was happy to sink into the bubble bath and wash off the bad afternoon.

Later, after drying off his hair, Nori threw on a grey t-shirt with a big light pink star on the chest, and matching tartan pj pants in the same light pink, white, and grey.  He looked around upstairs for his mother, but it seemed she had left for work already.  The text on his phone from her confirmed that.

**From: Mama:  Behave with Dori.  Have a good night, I’ll be home around 1 am.  Love you!**

Nori had time in the bath for some self reflection.  He regretted the fight with Dori.  He had came home wet, angry, and upset, and taking it out on Dori was, unfortunately, what happened.  He didn’t have a very good brain to mouth filter.  The whole grounding thing was really his fault for continuing.

He sighed before trudging downstairs.  “Hey.”  He said softly.  

Dori was sitting on the couch, changed into his light purple bathrobe and had Ori against his chest, drinking from a bottle he was holding.  He glanced up at Nori before looking back at the tv.  “...Evening.”

Nori slowly crept next to them and sat down next to Dori.  He leaned his head against Dori’s shoulder.  Dori made a disturbed noise but didn’t pull away.  “Sorry I ruined your night...How did she take things?” He asked hesitantly.

“Normal? I guess?”  Dori shrugged lightly.  “I don’t know.  She was curt with me, she’s probably upset, not that I really know her.  She’s just a girl off one of those dating sites.”

“...How are _you_ taking things.”  Nori wasn’t sure if he should ask that question.

Dori stayed silent for a little while and Nori didn’t move.  “Fine.  I don’t really want to go out with a girl.  I just.” He sighed roughly.  “I hate being alone, Nori.  And people already look at me like i’m a mistake on this world because I’m fat.  Why give them a second reason to make fun of me by saying I’m…”  He fell silent.

“You’re not fat, you’re fluffy and cute.   You look good, as much as I don’t want to say that because I’m your brother.  There’s a man out there for you, go find him.  Stop looking at ladies you don’t want.”  

“You sound like a self-help book.”  Dori chuckled.  

“I am a book.  So are you.  Write yourself a better story, you dickhead.”  Nori sat upright and nudged Dori’s shoulder.

“So do you ever take any pieces of your own advice?  You spout a lot of it.”  His big brother asked.

“Well...eh…”  Nori shrugged, unsure of what Dori meant.  “...Maybe?”

“Can I ask you something you probably don’t want to answer?”  Dori asked.

“Uh, sure Dori...what’s up?”  Nori asked.

“Where do the bruises come from?”

“Wha...What?”  Nori was caught off guard.

“Nori, you have bruises on your arms right now.  Where are they from?”  Dori asked again.

Nori looked down at his arms.  They were healing quite well.  In fact, they were healing so well that he hadn’t noticed in the dim light of his bathroom the yellow blotches and slight purplish tinge that had been left on them from the day Martin broke his phone.  Because of that he hadn't covered them up with the makeup that he had begged Frerin to lend him for the exact reason of keeping his mother or Dori from ever finding out.  Nori’s heart practically stopped.

Lie on the fly.  “It’s nothing. I fell down a couple weeks ago.”  It didn’t sound right though.  

Dori started carefully.  “Nori...just, the shape, they look like someone grab--”

“I need to text Frerin!”  Nori interrupted as he got up from his spot and hurried upstairs.

“Nori, please!  You’ve been acting so touchy lately, mom and I are worried.”  Dori called after Nori.  Ori whined in his arms, he had been falling partially asleep.  “Shhh...it’s okay Ori, sorry little one, I don’t mean to yell.”

Nori grabbed his cell phone and next to it, his tiny book.  

He carefully put the old, red book with silver letters that spelled out ‘Labyrinth’ in a fancy handwriting into his pocket.  He had tried to find a new print of it once, so he could keep the old one from his father safe in a case at home, but couldn’t find it anywhere.  There wasn’t any book online close to it.  He couldn’t even look up an author because there wasn’t one stated anywhere.  Nori had always wondered where his father had gotten it from before he had disappeared.  At least it was a bit smaller than a calculator and could fit in his pocket with ease.

He texted Frerin and put his phone in his pocket. Nori then went to put his hair into a long braid, adding a pink ribbon at the bottom for flair, and topping his look off with some of his favourite bracelets Frerin had made.

**To: Frer Bear:  So bath is done and I went downstairs to talk to Dori.  I forgot to cover my bruises and now he’s asking questions.  What do I do?**

He looked out the window.  The sky was now blackened with flickers of lighting that cast shadow monsters through the night world.  The rain was louder than the tv downstairs.  It hadn’t rained like this in forever.  It was odd, he always spent nights like tonight with Frerin and Dis because it was always nights, weekends, days, just like this one, that Thorin disappeared for a while and Frerin had Nori over.  The thunder rumbled so much easier through his small house.

He grabbed his blanket and wrapped it around himself as he sat on his tiny bed and watched.  

After a few minutes his pocket buzzed.

**From: Frer Bear:  Nori, you know I care about you so much, bby.  Please, let’s tell your mother and Dori and get the school involved.  You don’t have to live with Martin the moron and his little moronettes that follow his every moronic move.  Let us help you, bby.  Please.**

Nori bit his lower lip as he thought about what to text back, or if not to text back at all. But he just couldn’t _not_ reply to Frerin.

**To: Frer Bear:  No.**

**To: Frer Bear:  Frer, I’m fine.  I wish the Goblin King from my book would come and take those assholes away, but I’m fine.**

Frerin’s response was back at him before he could even put his cell down.

**From: Frer Bear:  Don’t wish things from that horrible book.  You know I hate that book.  You should just get rid of it.**

Nori bit the inside of his cheek.  This was a running fight between them, the _only_ fight between them.  Nori loved his book his father had brought, but Frerin always seemed to despise it with a passion.  But, Frerin never gave him a good reason why.

**To: Frer Bear:  What’s your problem with my book?  You know it means a shit ton to me.  Sometimes I wish the Goblin King would come take Dori away so I wouldn’t be stuck in stupid situations like the one I’m asking you to actually help me with.  Where should I say I got the bruises?  I’m thinking about saying I ran into a tree at the park.**

**From:  Frer Bear:  Be honest.  I’m coming over.**

**To: Frer Bear:  NO! AND YOU CAN’T I'M GROUNDED!!!!!**

Nori texted furiously.  Texting Frerin was only upsetting him more now.

**From:  Frer Bear:  I’m coming, just stay away from Dori.  Let’s just come out with everything and build something better.  He’s your older brother.  Can we just get rid of that stupid book and forget the stupid Goblin King?!**

**To: Frer Bear:  NO! FRERIN YOU BETTER NOT COME OVER AND I’M DONE MESSAGING YOU TONIGHT I CANT BELIEVE YOU WONT DROP MY BOOK WHATS YOUR PROBLEM?!?!?!?!!?!!**

His last text was messy.  Nori couldn’t help it, his mood had dropped back down again.  It was Frerin’s fault this time.  Frerin was his best friend, he was supposed to make Nori feel better, not worse.

Nori shoved his phone in his pocket and stomped downstairs towards the kitchen.

“Nori, come here please.  I want to talk.”  Dori called from the couch softly enough so that he wouldn’t wake Ori who was now asleep in his arms.

“Not now, Dori.”  He snapped back.  Nori took his book from his pocket while he ignored the phone in his other pocket that was receiving a text almost every second.  

Dori looked appalled.  “Nori, we need to talk about those bruises.  If someone is hurting you, mother and I need to know, we can’t help if you don’t open up.”

“I said not now!”  He yelled back.  

Ori started to wake up and cry.  

Well, Dori shouldn’t have asked about the bruises.  Nori didn’t want to talk about it.

And now his phone was ringing.  Nori ripped it from his pocket.  “Frerin!  No!  I said no!”

“Nori, I know, I know.  Please calm down.  You’re my friend, I want to make things better.  I’m sorry, I’m coming over.”  Frerin said quickly.

Frerin continued to speak while Dori started up again and Ori started crying louder.  The damn tv and loud rain in the background didn’t help.  Everything was too much.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!”  Nori screamed.  “I wish I didn’t fucking live this life!  I wish I was in my stupid book!  I wish I had the Goblin King to make things simple like he did for the princess in my stupid book, because if you all were taken by the Goblin King, I wouldn’t give a fuck!”  He slammed his phone shut on Frerin and shoved his book and cell in his pockets.  Nori glared at Dori, who looked like a kicked puppy, and little Ori crying in his arms.  “I wish the Goblin King would come and take you both away, right now!”  He turned on his heel and went into the kitchen.

Suddenly a huge crack of thunder was heard through the house.  Everything shook, and Nori heard a strangled yelp from Dori before everything was suddenly quiet and felt very, very wrong.

“...D-dori?” Nori stutted softly as he turned and looked back at the suddenly dark room behind him.  

The tv and lights were out, Ori had suddenly stopped crying, and Dori did not answer.  

Lightning flashed in front of the large window behind the couch, lighting the room and showing Nori he was here, alone.  There was nothing.  Nothing but the rain.

“Dori?!” Nori squeaked out.  “Ori?!  Where...Where are you?!”  

He looked around the room quickly as he heard scurrying and felt as though he wasn’t alone.  His phone buzzed.  He didn’t have time to check it while he tried to focus on the shadows running around him.  Nori began to panic as the thunder and lightning picked up.  The rain grew harder.  He looked towards the window behind the couch and his eyes went wider as he saw some red-winged beast flying at the window.  

Nori gasped and took a step back as the windows burst open and in came the beast.

There was another flash and in a second water droplets that flew in with the creature, stood still in the air.

In front of him now stood a handsome, tall stranger dressed in black with a cape that flowed in the wind, and slicked back, blood red hair.  He gave Nori a toothy, knowing smirk which made Nori’s heart skip in both wonderment and worry.

If Nori would have read the last text Frerin sent, it would have said:

  
**From: Frer Bear:  DO NOT TRUST SMAUG!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I can't wait to post next week's chapter for you guys!


	3. Unfair Dealings and Unasked Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori realizes he just made a very big mistake wishing his brothers away, but intends to fix things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I'm actually posting this while it is most definitely still Sunday for me! Awesome sauce! Thank you for reading.
> 
> Also! The amazing artwork for the story is by: Asparklethatisblue that you can totally find on asparklethatisblue.tumblr.com Go check them out!

#  Unfair Dealings and Unasked Help 

“W-who are you?”  Stuttered Nori as he looked on in awe at the man before him.

The tall stranger let out a short chuckle and tilted his head.  “You know who I am.  I’m the one you’ve wished for.”

“You’re...You’re him, aren’t you?  The Goblin King...I...Oh God.  Wait, I, I didn’t mean it!  Please bring them back!  Please!”  Nori put his hands together and begged.  He was beginning to pale.  “I was just angry and scared!  I didn’t mean for you to actually take them!”

The Goblin King shook his head and tsked.  “What’s said is said.  I did as you called me to do.”

“Please, no.  Where are they?  I’ll do anything, just bring them back.”  Nori insisted.  Shivers ran down his spine.  How was this real?  How was this man real?

The Goblin King laughed again and shook his head once more.  “Oh, Nori, you know where they are.  I have a better idea.  Go back upstairs, close your eyes, sleep. Forget about this terrible, terrible day.  Forget about your terrible, terrible brothers.  You can finally have peace.  I’ve given you that.”

“I can’t.  I was just upset at the day.  I didn’t mean to ask you to actually take them.  I get angry sometimes, but I still love them.  This wasn’t Dori’s fault.  It was all mine.  He was just worried.  I want my brothers back.  Ori must be so scared.  Dori must be so confused and upset.  Please, I really will do anything for them.”  Nori got down on his knees.  “Please.”

“Well, perhaps then, you and I can strike up a deal.”  The Goblin King held out a hand in front of him for Nori to take.

When Nori grabbed it, the world around him began to blur and he became disoriented.  As he stood up with the Goblin King’s help, they suddenly were no longer in his living room.  

They were out in a field on a hill.  From there, Nori could see a huge labyrinth stretched out before him with a giant castle smack dab in the center.

“Holy shit…”  Nori murmured.

“See that big castle in the center?”  The King asked.

“Yeah…”  Nori replied quietly.

“That’s where your brothers are.  I’ll give you thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth, reach the castle, and win them back.  If you don’t-”

“Thirteen hours?!”  Nori yelped.  “Just look at the size of that thing!  I can’t solve that in thirteen hours!  I need more time!”

The Goblin King grinned.  “Really?  No one has ever asked for more time before.  All the other young women who have stood in your place have always thought that more than enough time to solve it.”   

Just young women?  

“And how many of those girls have solved it in that time?”  Nori asked as he looked at the Goblin King out of the corner of his eye.

His question was only met with laughter which answered his question better than anything else could.

“...I need...at least three days.” Nori insisted.

“Deal.”  The Goblin King answered far too quickly.  Nori winced.  He probably could have asked for a longer time frame.  He probably would need every second he had. An odd clock appeared behind them with a weird number of ticks on it.  72 ticks to be exact.  “In seventy two hours, if you get to the castle, you get your brothers back.  If not...well…”  He smirked.

“If not…?”  Nori asked and looked at the Goblin King.

“I’m sure you can figure it out.”

“No, I can’t.  If not…?”  Nori insisted.  He had to know if he was really going to be forced to go home alone.  

The Goblin King threw an arm around Nori’s slender back and pulled him by the hips, close to him.  Nori put his hands on the Goblin King’s shoulders.  “If not…”  With the Goblin King’s other gloved hand, he took his pointer finger and pressed and rubbed up and down the center of Nori’s chest.  Nori’s face grew warm and his heart skipped a beat. “If not, I’ll rip open your chest and eat your heart.”  The Goblin King gave Nori a toothy grin as Nori’s warm face suddenly changed and paled.  That wasn’t what he was expecting at all.

“WHAT?!” Nori shrieked as he pushed away as fast as possible and stumbled backwards.  “You’re going to eat me?!” He turned towards the castle.  This bastard knew he would fail!  How could he get there in time?!

The Goblin King wrapped his arms around the back of Nori and rubbed the boy’s chest.  “Just your heart.  I’m hungry and the wait will be so satisfying.”  He whispered in Nori’s ear as Nori began to shake.  He let out his forked tongue and ran it up the side of Nori’s ear, making Nori try to squirm away.  “Better get going, time is wasting.”  The Goblin King let go of Nori and stepped back as the boy spun to look at him.  “By the way, my dear, the name is Smaug.”  

Smaug suddenly changed back into what could only be explained to be a small, red dragon and went flying off towards the castle as Nori was left there, clutching his chest.

“Oh. My. God.”  Nori gasped then let out a scream, just to get it out of his system.  “Nooo, shit, shit, shit!”  He held his chest tightly.  “What the fuck did I just do?!”  Nori took the cellphone out of his pocket and finally read the last text he had gotten.

**From: Frer Bear:  DO NOT TRUST SMAUG!**

It was unfortunately, a bit too late for that.  

“Fuck, why didn’t I listen to Frerin and let him help me?!  Why do I always have to just not let anyone help me?!  Dori….oh god...Dori.  Fuck, if I don’t get there he’ll eat Dori’s heart, too!  And maybe just eat Ori whole!  Fuck!”  Nori looked back at the ticking clock.  “Fuck, I can’t stay here.  I need to get there.  Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck!”

Nori took some deep breathes and counted to ten.  “Alright...okay. I can do this.  I need to do this.  This can’t possibly be...completely impossible... “  He took another deep breath.  “Wait...my book.  My book!”  He took the little red book out.  “...The Labyrinth.  My book is about this place...she did this.  The author!  She made it through and saved her little brother and she had thirteen hours!  I can do it too then!  I have more time!  Yes!  Dori, Ori, I’m coming!”  He shoved everything back in his pocket and stood up straight.  Nori took one more deep breath.  “I can do this!  As she said, come on feet, let’s go---Ak!”  He took one step, right onto a pricker bush.

“Fuck!”  Nori was still in his favorite pjs, which had been a gift from Frerin.  He was also completely barefoot.  How embarrassing.  He had his hair up in a long braid and outfit on that made him look like a flat chested girl and he had to go on a quest like this.  He loved this outfit to death, and it would be great for bed, but it was not great for a quest through a dirty labyrinth and trek down a pricker bush infested hill.  Nori winced.  This quest was not going to start easy.

It must have took him an hour to get down the hill.  He groaned in pain.  His toes and bottoms of his feet were cut up and bleeding.  He had numerous prickers in the bottoms of his feet, making him whimper in pain with every step.  Some were even stuck in his fingers from trying to free himself from long thorn weeds that had physically grabbed him.  

Fuck magic, fuck every little bit of it.  Every step sent another dull throb of pain through his body.  Everything hurt.  

He fell to the ground at the bottom of the hill.  

_I barely defeated the hill, how the fuck will I defeat the fucking labyrinth and save my brothers?_

A few tears escaped the sides of his eyes.  He couldn’t fail before he actually began, could he?  Smaug had thought he would.  Nori rubbed his eyes and looked around.  Not far from him was a small pond with a cottage nearby.  He could use a drink of water after going down that hill.  

He shakily got up and hobbled towards the pond.  As he got closer to the pond, he realized there was someone on the other side of the cottage, chopping wood with dual axes.

Nori’s eyes widened as he set them on the rather large and shirtless, muscular man.  He had an amazing mohawk and impressive facial hair.  His heart skipped again.  It really needed to stop doing that.  Guys like this were always his type, but usually rather homophobic and not into Nori at all.  It was the worst.  Also, why did this hot guy have to be out chopping wood, shirtless?  And looking like a god with all those tattoos and the chest hair?  Didn’t he know they were ridiculously distracting?  

He wasn’t paying attention to Nori.  That was until Nori took a wrong step, jabbing one of the many thorns in the pads of his feet, much deeper into his heel, making him yelp.  The mystery man’s head snapped towards Nori.

Nori paled just like he did with Smaug; into it one second, and terrified the next.  Nori’s head just reached this guy’s chest, and he had to be two of Nori wide.  With the muscles and the axes, Nori would be killed in two seconds flat.  Maybe he’d rip out his heart and deliver it to Smaug in seventy two hours.  He and Smaug never said during the deal that it wasn’t allowed to play out that way.  Technically, Nori would have never reached the castle and it would be three days later.

Nori took a step back, then fell backwards onto his butt.  With all the thorns and pain he was in, he couldn’t run for it.

The muscular man let out an annoyed sigh.  “Oh.  Just a human.  Door’s over there, lass.”  He pointed at the large wooden door, elaborately carved with whorls and stars tucked between the rocks of the labyrinth’s walls.

Had that been there before?  

“Better hurry, lass, thirteen hours goes fast here.”  The man went back to chopping wood.  “Must have already been an hour since I felt the magic of the deal start.  So twelve left, yeah?”

“Um…” Nori shifted around so he could get into a comfortable sitting position while he tried to find his voice.  “Eh, no, not exactly.  I asked for more time.  And I’m not a lass…”

The man looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow.  “...so you aren’t.  Never saw a laddie through here in all my years.”  

So the man was older?  He didn’t look too much older.  More like a 25 or 26 year old punk rocker.

“So how much time do you get?”  

“Seventy two…well now I guess I have seventy one hours left…”  Nori replied.  “Which is good, right?  If it can be done in thirteen hours, seventy two hours should help a lot.  The fact that if I lose, he’s going to eat my heart, is a very encouraging thing to make me want to get there as fast as I can.”  Nori gave him a nervous smile.

“You were even smart enough to ask the ‘what if I lose question?’  Good on you laddie.”  The man seemed more interested in him and came closer.  He shook his head.  “It can’t be done in thirteen hours.  It’s why that’s how much time he gives them.  I know the way to the castle and it takes me a day at least to get there if I need to go, which isn’t often.  It’s not a straight shot.”

“Oh...well...If another human like you can do it in a day, I could too, can’t I?  I just need to keep positive, get these thorns out of my feet and get going.”  Nori did feel a bit relieved that getting there in three days was confirmed to be actually possible.  There was a knot in his gut from knowing that if he hadn’t complained, he would have been absolutely doomed.

The man looked down from above him, a smirk tugging at the side of his mouth.  “I’m not a human, I’m a dwarf.”

Nori looked confused.  “What?  But you’re…dwarfs are short...you’re so much bigger than...me.  Dwarf size is...small.”  

The man let the shit eating grin take over.  “You humans abstract the size of everything Fae, your kind is the same size as my kind, but dwarfs are known for shortness.  Short, compared to most Fae in the land.  Have you seen an Elf, they’re double yours and my size.  You’re dwarf size.”  The dwarf man grinned, eyes teasing Nori.

Nori blushed.  “...Well...how was I supposed to know?”  He curled his knees up to his chest and took his phone from his pocket to stare at the last thing he had gotten from Frerin.  

**From: Frer Bear:  DO NOT TRUST SMAUG!**

“I shouldn’t even be here...I should have let Frerin come help me…”  Nori sighed.

The dwarf’s smile fell and he suddenly crouched down in front of him.  “...Frerin…is he...your friend.  He knows about all this?”

“Um, yes.  And it seems like it, he wrote not to trust Smaug, but I read it too late…”  

“Does he have any siblings?”  The man became more inquisitive.  The look in his eyes made Nori grow nervous once more.  

Nori blinked.  “Do you think he went through this?  I mean he has a brother and a sister, Thorin and Dis, but Smaug said he took ladies.  He would take Dis over Frerin…”  He leaned back as the dwarf moved closer him and studied Nori.  “W-Why are you hanging over me?”  He whispered.

The dwarf was studying him.  

Nori felt like a piece of meat and really hoped this guy wouldn’t pull out his axes on him.  “Um...i-if you want me to do anything before I go, I’ll do it.  Anything.  Please don’t kill me.”  He laughed nervously.  It was getting really uncomfortable to be in this position, prickers everywhere.  It didn’t help he really couldn’t defend himself against this big guy.  Handsome as the dwarf was, he had already been told by one handsome man, today, that they wanted to eat his heart. 

The man seemed taken aback.  “What?  No, I’m not going to...oh.  Sorry, I don’t live with anyone.  Ain’t used to people.  You’re the longest talk I’ve had with any of the Almighty Arsehole’s prey since the beginning of all of this.  The young women either ask a few quick things or nothing at all, then run in.”  He said gruffly.  “If my brother was still around he’d be punching me for the lack of manners.  Traitorous elf-snogger, he is.”

“Um...what?”

“Nevermind.”  Dwalin studied Nori again, this time more his feet and hands.  

He took one of Nori’s slender hands in his much bigger, calloused one, and forced it to sit palm up.  He used his other hand to reach down and pluck a pricker out of Nori’s palm and flicked it away. 

Nori yelped.  He was worried about the tiny bit of blood that flowed from the little wound, but then realized when it was out, the dull pain there disappeared.  It would be fine.  “Oh, um, thanks.  I think.”  He put on a small side smile for the man.  

That quickly disappeared when the dwarf grabbed Nori’s ankle and brought it up quickly to see.  “...You ain’t getting anywhere like this.  Not with these in your feet, at least.”

“I know…” Nori flipped back when the dwarf grabbed his ankle and was now laying on the ground as he replied.  “I need to get them out.  I just need a moment.”

“I got you.”  The dwarf stood back up and then leaned over to pick Nori up with ease as if he were a small stick or pebble and carry him over to his wood chopping stump.  

“Hey!  Hey!  Hey!  What do you think you’re doing?!  Put me down!”  Nori gasped.  Despite Nori’s protests he clung to him tightly by wrapping his arms around Dwalin’s neck, worried about what he was doing with him.  His head fell against the man’s warm chest.  He heard the dwarf’s low heart beat thumping.

He carefully set Nori down on the stump.  “Stay here.  Don’t move.”

Nori’s own heart was beating so fast and hard in his chest after that.  He didn’t think he could manage either anyways.  “What are you doing?”

He didn’t get an answer.

The dwarf went into his tiny cottage and after what seemed like eternity, came out with a green tunic covering him up.  He was carrying a bowl of water with a cloth in one hand and pliers that had an end that looked like the end of tweezers, bandages, and a small, closed tin in the other.  He knelt in front of Nori.  “We might want to take your mind of things while I do this.  You’ll be in a wee bit of pain, laddie.  Not that you aren’t already.”

“Wait, you’re going to help get the prickers out?  I can do it myself.  You don’t have to touch my feet.”  Nori responded.

“I don’t mind.  Does it bother you?”  The dwarf quirked an eyebrow.  “It will be faster if I just do it.”

“Um...yeah.  I guess you can.  I don’t normally need help with anything like this...”  Nori blushed as his heart settled down.  “I’m Nori by the way.”

The dwarf frowned at Nori.  “I was hoping to not know that. Easier to forget his prey when I don’t have names for those faces. Don't suppose you want my name?”  He asked as he rolled up Nori’s pant legs.

Nori nodded a bit.  “Is that...alright?”

“Hmm...I guess.  Dwalin.”  Came the gruff response.

“Dwalin?  Dwalin...Dwalin.  I like it.  It fits you.”  Nori said as he tested it on his tongue.  He could think of using it at night.  If he felt like touching himself while he was alone later.  Who knows if he’d live through this, he'd rather feel something pleasant during this horrible quest.  Dwalin was kind enough after all.  Handsome and kind.  He could get off on that.

Nori suddenly jumped as a thorn was pulled from his foot.  “Oww…” He groaned.  “Oh god, it’s going to be like this…”

“Aye.  But like I said, I have you.  Ask me a question.  Anything.  Take your mind to a better place than this one.”  Dwalin ordered.

The little pin pricks of pain weren’t that bad.  It meant after relief would take over soon.  Still, he winced every now and then.  Especially when Dwalin had used the pliers to pull one out.

“Um...okay.  Why does Smaug only take girls?  Or usually just girls?”  Nori asked.

“Mmm couple different reasons?  I haven’t talked this much in forever…”  He cracked his jaw making Nori wince.  “Ladies of your kind always seem to have a pretty clean, strong soul wrapped around their hearts.  Because of that they are very forgiving, loving, and far too trusting.  It's the type of soul and heart he needs to devour to keep his powers that control our old homelands.”  Dwalin seemed angry.  “At least that's what I think.  I'm afraid I only know what my no good, lousy brother has told me last time I saw him.  Basically, Smaug could eat any heart, but he chooses young ladies.”

“Sounds fun...”  Nori said sarcastically and scowled.

Dwalin nodded.  “Aye.  Another reason he chooses them is probably because he likes what your kind calls ‘feminine,’ to seduce, play with, bed, eat.  Many ladies that come through here believe he is in love with them.”  Dwalin looked up at Nori.  “You’re, by your own species ideas, very feminine looking.  Maybe that’s why he took you?  Care to be seduced?”  He quirked an eyebrow.

Nori’s face grew red with embarrassment.  “Hell no!”  He hissed.  “He lost every last fucking chance to bed me when he kidnapped my brothers!  Besides, he’s not my type!”  

Dwalin hummed.  “What is your type?”  He inquired.

“Um…”  Nori didn’t want to tell Dwalin that he looked like his type.  That would be weird.  He was probably straight.  “It’s a secret.”

“And why is that?”  

“Next question!”  Nori yelled.  “So um...are you immortal?  Also is digging in mines and getting gems and shit another myth about dwarfs?”

Dwalin couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at Nori’s reactions.  He had put him back into a better mood.  Talk of Smaug taking over usually ruined the rest of his day, and a few days after that.  “I ain’t immortal, however, due to Smaug’s magical curse on this land, any Dwarf still living after he took it, has currently stopped aging.  I don’t know why, but we’re all just stopped in time.  By the way, first foot is done.”  

The dwarf ran his index and middle fingers along the bottom of Nori’s foot, making Nori squirm and grab ahold of stump he was sitting on tightly.  He tried not to laugh.  He failed when the giggles came out. “Oh my god, stop! Haha-you stop it this instant!”  He kicked out at Dwalin who was simply smiling at him.

“Watch it.  I'd be kind to me, if I were you.  Feels good that I got those nasty buggers out of your foot, doesn't it?”  He cleaned Nori’s sole of his foot with the wet cloth.  

“Don't tickle me then.”  Nori blushed.

“Alright, alright.  Won't do it again.  It's been decades since i’ve interacted with anyone. You don't know how nice it is to hear a laugh until you have no one doing it around you. Making you laugh was one of those...impulses.  Haven't made anyone in a long time...”  Dwalin replied.  He then opened the tin, that seemed full of some kind of green medical salve, and rubbed some onto the bottom of Nori’s feet before bandaging it.    Nori was thankful one foot was taken care of.  It felt so much better.

“...thank you.  Um…”  He felt a bit bad about Dwalin.  It sounded like he had been alone for a very long time.  He couldn't imagine what it was like to live alone in a tiny house, only ever meeting women who were walking to their deaths.  Next question.  “Um, this isn’t Smaug’s domain?”

“No, he came and stole Erebor.  That goes along with your mining question.  The one before I tickled you.  When you were up on the hill, you saw the whole labyrinth, right?  All those big, old twists and turns?”  Dwalin asked.

“Yeah.”  Nori replied.

“They used to all be tunnels.  Where the labyrinth stands, there used to be a giant mountain.  When Smaug took control, and killed the old King, Thror, he used magic to flip the entire mountain, inside out.  Our tunnels became the walls of the labyrinth, which were then magically enhanced to move around and change positions.  Our kingdom became the City of Goblins and the Almighty Arsehole’s personal castle.”  Dwalin grumbled.  “Some dwarfs were killed in the magic which turned our home inside out.  Some fled to the human realm.  Some chose to living in the labyrinth.  Some, like my damned brother, stayed, to be Smaug’s personal servants.  I decided to say fuck everything and all of that.  I’m living outside the damned thing and fending for my Mahal forsaken self.  If Smaug throws any of his creatures at me, I send them back all chopped up in tiny, bloody pieces.  He usually leaves me alone as long as I leave his girls alone.  I helped the first few...tried to...nothing went well.”  

“Do you...do you think he’ll be mad you’re helping me now?”  Nori was a bit worried about making Dwalin’s already bad life, worse.

“No.  Right now I’m slowing you down because I’m helping you.  Time is wasting.  He’s happy to see time wasting.  You haven’t even gotten in the labyrinth yet.”  He glanced at the doorway.  “We’re gonna have to get you in soon.”

“Oh.  Right.  What about your brother though?  Are you really so mad at him?”

“Yes.  He thinks he could help our Prince by staying there.  He says he has some connection with our Prince, but he can’t say much or give me solid proof of him even being alive because of Smaug.”   Dwalin looked aggravated but then suddenly calmed down.  “Although...I might have found my proof about my Prince.”

“Really?  How?”  Nori was interested in this.  

Dwalin took a moment to answer.  “That’s my little secret that I don’t know if I’m allowed to share with you.  Proof is staring me in the face now.”  

Nori gave Dwalin a confused look.  “Not sure what you mean.  Were you close to the Prince before?”

“We’re distant cousins.  I have some magic because of that.  Makes navigation of the labyrinth easier.  I feel certain things when Smaug loses a bit of control and he needs to feed.”

Nori looked around.  “What did you do before living out here?  What did you do in there when you lived in the mountain?”

“I was a guardsman.  I mean, I still am.  It’s just harder to be a guardsman with no kingdom to defend anymore.  My Da was Captain of the Guards, I was meant to take over next.”  Dwalin cracked his jaw again.  “By Aule’s war hammer, talking is hard.  Not used to all of this.”

“I’m...sorry you have to live out here now.  I couldn’t imagine being alone so long.  And far from your brother.  I get into arguments with Dori all the time, but I couldn’t imagine life without him.  Or Ori or Mama...or Frerin or Dis...even Thorin...Thorin is really stoic and broods like a hundred percent of the time, but he’s nice and I like him.  I hope everyone is okay…”  Nori was saddened but Dwalin seemed to grow happy while he talked about the ones he missed.  “Why are you...smiling?”

“Oh?”  Dwalin’s smile fell.  The dwarf broke eye contact and cast his eyes down.  “No reason.  You just sound so...sincere?”

“Ah.  Okay, next question then?  This is important.  Do you have any tips and tricks about the labyrinth to help me?”  Nori asked.

Dwalin nodded.  “Yes.  In there, don’t trust blindly.  Many creatures lie or want to bring you harm.  Some are okay, but that is a very few number.  You can only trust like twenty percent of Dwarfs living in the labyrinth.  None bow to Smaug, but most have gone crazy with time.  They would hurt you out of fear or just because they have no clue what they’re doing.  Their minds are broken.  The Labyrinth does that.  Smaug has it feeding on the inhabitants for a bit of extra magic.  That’s another reason I live out here.  Also, if it looks like a path will lead you to the castle, it’s usually false.  Most of the paths that lead toward the castle, you need to get on, by going the opposite direction.  Often times, you’ll get a lot of statues or signs saying you’re on the wrong path when you’re going the right way.  Take everything with caution.”  Dwalin finished up on Nori’s second foot.  He put the salve on it and wrapped it.

Nori grinned.  “I can do this now.  Thanks for fixing my feet.”  

He tried to stand up but Dwalin grabbed him by the hips and forced him to sit back down. “Wait, laddie, wait one second.”  He stood up and was leaning over Nori.  He was so big.  “I have something for you.  So stay here, okay?  Don’t just go running into things.”

Nori face flushed with red again.  “Okay…”  Dwalin’s hands still a strong grasp on his hips.  Big and warm hands.  What would it feel like if he were to be holding onto him there while he was leaned over the stump instead of sitting on it.  

_No.  Need to not think about that._

Dwalin went off into the cottage while Nori grabbed his t-shirt and made sure it covered his crotch.  “You won’t ever see Mister Attractive Dwarf Man again, stoooop.”  He hissed at himself.  This fabric was way too thin.  His cheeks were too hot.  He quickly crossed his legs as Dwalin came back out.

This time he was carrying a sling bag and a pair of fluffy boots.  “Have my childhood court boots and some useful things for your trip.  Not like I can ever use them again.  Glad I kept some of my brother’s and my older things, though.”  He handed Nori the bag.  Then he dropped down onto his knees to help Nori’s feet into the boots carefully.

Good, Nori could put that bag on his lap.  He watched Dwalin on his knees as he slid the boots onto Nori’s feet.  It reminded him of Cinderella.  Not that he imagined Dwalin would want to actually be his prince.  Maybe fool around, but not more than that.  

Nori grinned.  “They feel a little big, but I think I’d rather have them than not.”  He smiled at Dwalin then went through the bag.  He found a full water skin, a couple small loaves of bread and dried pieces of meat wrapped in thin, fabric napkins, the tin of salve, and bandages.  He quickly took the water skin out and took a gulp.  “Dwalin, you’re amazing.”  

Dwalin grinned up at him.  Dwalin was really cute when he smiled.

Nori blushed and wiped his lips.  “Alright.  Now I think I’m ready.”  

“We’re both ready.”  Dwalin said as he stood up.

Nori’s eyes went wide.  He hadn’t even realized that Dwalin had come out in a fur vest and big harness that held his axes.  Dwalin held out a hand to Nori to help him up.  That’s when Nori saw the knuckle dusters on his hands.  “Ho...ly…shit.” Nori’s mouth gaped open.  As if he hadn’t wanted Dwalin before, now he wanted him at least ten times over.  

Now was definitely not the time to think of this.

He took Dwalin’s hand and stood up.  He had expected to feel a little bit more pain on the bottoms of his feet than he did, but that was probably the salve’s help.

“Better?”  Dwalin asked.  Nori nodded.  “Good, let’s get going.”  Dwalin set off for the wooden door.

“Are you...going into the labyrinth with me?  I thought you weren’t going to do that.”  Nori followed.  “It could get Smaug on our tails.”

“It could, yes, but I’ll be going a different way.  I don’t know why Smaug gave you more time, but it might mean he’s sending something out to either attack you or have you get stuck somewhere.  I’m going out to match up with any creature he may send after you.  So don’t worry about that.  There are also pits and places that you can get stuck inside of.  When one is triggered, there’s usually a magical impulse that gets sent around the labyrinth.  I can feel it.  If that happens, I’ll come get you, Smaug be damned.”  Dwalin said as the wooden doors opened for them.  “The labyrinth starts going left or right.  Pick one direction in the labyrinth, and I’ll go the other way.”

“Alright...I’ll go right.  But um...what if a creature does get to me and attacks me?”  Nori asked.

“Run.”  The large dwarf responded.  “I’ll hear it over the walls and come as quick as I can.  I’ll never be too far, but Smaug can’t see you with me.  Life would get much, much harder.”

“Could I...actually have a weapon...weapons?  Knives?”  

Dwalin had two belts on, a large one that was holding his pants he had on the whole time and a second one he had put on with two short swords in the holders of the sides.  He took it off and gave it to Nori.  “They’re kind of short scimitars.  I made them myself.  Any good?”

Nori took the belt and put it on.  It wrapped around his waist twice.  He moved it underneath his shirt and buckled it.  Nori tested them by taking them out and spinning them.   “They’re great!”

Dwalin watched Nori twirl them out of their sheaths.  “You fight?  Didn’t take you for a fighter.”

Nori shook his head.  “I learned it for a play...I’ve never...only fake fighting.  Usually I just sock people in the jaw if they’re dick heads.”

That made Dwalin chuckle.  He clapped Nori on the shoulder.  “Nori, you give me hope that I haven’t had in years in more ways than you know.  Don’t use those unless you absolutely need to.  I think we’re about to finally beat the Almighty Arsehole.”  Dwalin grinned.

Nori grinned.  “Alright.  One last question though.  It’s not really important.  Just my curiosity.”

“What’s on your mind?”  Dwalin asked.

“If Smaug would be okay with seducing me, does that mean that a man and a man together is completely normal to Fae creatures?”  He inquired.

“Why wouldn’t it be normal?”  Dwalin looked confused.  “Most of my kind’s marriages are male to male.”

“Just curious.”  Nori’s grin inwardly widened.  Right now he had to focus on saving his brothers, but after that was said and done, would it be so bad to come back to Dwalin’s little cottage with him and proposition him for a round or two of sex before he had to go back to the human world?  “I bet I’ll see you at least once later.”

“Probably.  Good luck for now.  I’m glad I met you.”  Dwalin grinned again and nodded before heading off down the left path.

“I’m glad I met you, too!”  Nori called after him.  Nori felt jittery in a good way. 

_How bad could it possibly be if after he got his brothers back he asked Dwalin to take him.  Dori wouldn’t be too upset if he had to wait by the pond with Ori for maybe a hour or two while Dwalin put his big, calloused hands all over him and pulled him down onto his-- Okay.  Time to stop.  Focus.  This is a bad situation.  You could lose the most important people to you and die._

Nori took a deep breath and set out.  He looked behind him once and Dwalin was long gone.  He wasn’t sure how, this was such a long corridor both ways, but whatever.  

Nori transferred his book and cell phone to the sling that Dwalin gave him.  His cell still had most of its power, which meant he could keep time for a while.  Twenty minutes in, he had to pee.  This labyrinth was boring.  Where were all the fucking turns?

Nori walked to the wall and went to push down his pants and take himself out.  He was staring at some weird moss on the wall that had stems coming out with little bulbs at the end.  He stopped in his tracks when they blubs split open and stared back at him.  

“HOLY SHIT!”  He stumbled back and pulled up his pants quickly.  He would not be going pee any time soon.  Instead, Nori went running for it.  

After a while he ran out of breath and slowed down.  “Okay...so...that moss actually wasn’t dangerous, but holy shit!  It was staring right at my junk, ewww…”  He made a face.

“What junk?  Crates of junk?  Barrels of junk?”  Came a tiny voice.

Nori looked around.  “Who said that?”  

“Down here.”  Came the voice again.  

Nori focused on the wall and eventually saw a tiny caterpillar.  “Oh.  Hello.  Um.”  He kneeled down by the wall.  This thing definitely looked innocent.  “Hey little guy…”

“Allo!  I’m not a little guy, I’m a worm.  What junk were you talking about?”  The tiny worm smiled up at him.  

“Oh nothing.  Just.  Stuff.  Hey uh, is the labyrinth just a long straight passageway?  When does it branch off?  Where are the openings?”  Nori asked.

“It’s full of openings!  Look, there’s one across from us.”  The tiny worm replied.

Nori looked over at the wall.  “Um...No.  It’s not.”

“Trust me!  Go over to it!”  The worm insisted.

Nori was doubtful and a tad annoyed, but stood up straight and went towards it.  “There’s nothing-oh!”  As he got closer, he started to see the bricks start to expand.  Once he was there he realized there was more ways to go.  “Whoa...optical illusions.  I should have guessed that earlier.  This place is kind of crazy.  Maybe I can find secret passages this way.  Thanks, Worm.”  Nori said as he began to pick one and go left.

“Waaaait!”  The worm cried out.  “Don’t go that way!  Never go that way!”  

“Huh?  Oh, thanks.  Have a good day.”  He waved to the little worm and went right instead.

“Bye!”  It yelled.  After Nori was gone it added.  “If that creature had gone that way it would have went straight to that bad castle…” And shook its head.

This part of the labyrinth was a lot cleaner.  Finally, he was able to pee.  Then he just seemed to be wandering.  At one point, he found a piece of charcoal from an old fire pit he came upon, and started marking the ways he was going.

It worked for a while, or he at least thought it had.  At one point he turned around and saw tiny creatures come out from under the stone tiles and turn his markings around.  Nori wasn’t sure if he was going in circles or not.  “Shit.”

This labyrinth was a lot harder than expected.  All he could do now was listen to Dwalin’s advice and try going away from the castle to hopefully get closer?  It was so confusing.  “Maybe this way…”  He got to a dead end.  “Uhg!”  He huffed and turned around.  He was about to stomp away when there was a shifting sound behind him.  He turned to see on the dead end, two doors and two guards that looked like playing cards.  One was red and the other was blue.  They had heads on the tops and bottoms of their bodies.

“What…?  Wasn’t this just...a dead end?”  Nori blinked.  Was the labyrinth playing more illusion tricks on him?

“No, that's the dead end behind you!” The card men laughed.

Nori looked behind him quickly.  There now was a rock wall so close behind him.  He put his hand on it.  It was real.  So it wasn’t all illusions because he had definitely just walked from this direction.  How did the magic work like this?  “Everything in this place keeps...changing.  It’s not fair.”  Nori said frustratedly.  “So why are there two doors now?”

“You have to pick one!”  Said one of the bottom heads.

“One leads to the castle, and the other one leads to...” Started the other bottom head.

“Bababa dum!”  Yelled it’s top half.

“Certain death!”  It finished.

Nori scowled.  “Great.  And do you guys know which is which?”  He tapped his foot.  

Nori refused to die in this horrible place.  He didn’t have time for this.  He was taking too long.  He checked his phone not too long ago.  Six hours had already passed.  Mama would be getting back home soon.  What would she do when she saw all three of them missing?  Nori hadn’t thought of it before.  She’d be so worried and upset.

“No, but our top halfs do.”  Said the lower head. 

“Great, spill it.”  Nori demanded.

He wasn’t too worried about certain death.  He had Dwalin watching out for him.  He was sure that he wouldn’t actually be killed right away.  Dwalin would save him if things got too rough.  Plus, Nori still had the weapons he was given.

“You can ask one, and only one, of us what is the correct door.”  One of the top heads told Nori.  “But be wary because one of us always lies and one of us always tells the truth.  It’s the rules.  He always lies."

“No I don’t, you do!”  Yelled the other top head.

Nori was getting more aggravated.  “Seriously?!  This is so stupid.”  

The heads all laughed at him.  “That’s too bad, make your choice!”  One said gleefully.

Nori glared at them.  Well, they didn’t have weapons.  Maybe he could get this done easy with a bit of force.  “Alright.  My choice is, you’ll all tell me which door is the safe one to go in.”  He did his spinning tricks while taking out the short swords.  “Or else I’ll have to rearrange your body parts.”

Three of the heads gasped and stood close together, while the last seemed confused.  “How would you do that?”  It asked.  “We’re attached to each other.”

“He means he’ll start cutting limbs off us, you dummy.”  Said an upper head.

“Oh!  Nasty creature!”  The last one gasped.

“Yeah, yeah, tell me the safe one or I’ll start on the left top head with these babies I got.”  Nori threatened.  

“The right door.”  Said both top heads.

Well that meant they could both lie and that both doors might lead to a bad ending.  He wasn’t sure yet.  

“Good, move it.”  Nori pushed his way past them and resheathed the short swords.  He cautiously walked forward through the door.  Nothing was happening.  “I think I got the hang of this place, I’m getting so much closer to getting to the castle--Ahh!”  He let out a yell as the floor gave out beneath him.  

Down he fell, into hands.  Tons and tons of stone-looking hands as soft as real hands started to grab onto him.  Nori screamed.  “WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE?!”  He screamed again and struggled.  

He was tight in their grasp with them all around him.  He was their prisoner.  “What do you want?!”  He gasped.  

Some of the hands grouped together to make a face.  “To help.  We’re the helping hands.”

Nori’s eyes widened when it talked.  He tried to get away but struggling made them grab his legs and arms and hips so much more tightly.  “Helping?!  You’re hurting me!  What do you want?!”  

“Would you prefer us to let go?  Said another made up face.

“Wha-no!”  Nori yelped as they left go and he fell more.  This time when they grabbed onto him he was caught upside down.  The bag Dwalin had gave him and the two short swords all fell from him, down into darkness.  He tried to reach out for his things but one of the hands tugged him by his long braid.  “No, no, no!  What do you things want?!”

“We want to know which way.”

“What?”  Nori asked.

“Which way do you want to go?” Said the first.

“Up or down?”  Said another.  

“Yes which way?”

“We haven’t got all day.”

Nori couldn’t keep track of all the hand faces talking.  “You do have all day if this is all you do.”  He tried to push away a hand wrapping around his chest.  Dwalin said he would help him if he got stuck.  And maybe down was a secret passage to help get through another part of the labyrinth.  “All my stuff fell down...I need it back.  Send me down.”

“He chose down!”

“He chose down?”

All the made up faces began laughing as Nori began to drop again.

“Was I wrong?!”  Nori yelled.

“Too late now!” One answered.

Nori screamed as he fell onto the ground and the opening above him closed.  “Fuck! Oww…”  He moaned as he fell onto the hard ground by his fallen items.  He sat up after a few moments.  “I’m screaming way too much today…”  He gathered up the items around him and got up.  

Nori walked around the chamber, dimly lit by two candles.  He wondered what magic kept them going.  There was an odd wooden door but when he opened it, there was just the wall behind it.  He knocked on the walls looking for a false one that he could possibly get through.  No dice.  There was no way out.  He tried to climb the wall and try to get back up to the hands, but there was no use.  He scratched up his hands trying to climb the rock walls.  Nori was forced to clean, use salve on, and bandage the wounds he gave himself by trying to escape.  

He sighed and picked a spot to lay down.

_There’s no way I can get out of here.  I should have just went up.  Dwalin, hurry up and come save me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I love comments so feel free to send one. 
> 
> Once again, the artwork in the middle of this story is by: Asparklethatisblue that you can totally find on asparklethatisblue.tumblr.com


	4. Understandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Were you wondering what was happening in the Kingdom of the Goblin King?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for sticking with my story so long. I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Updates will continue to be Sunday into Monday.
> 
> Art is by the lovely asparklethatisblue on tumblr, please check them out!

#  Understandings 

The castle in the center of the labyrinth was buzzing with activity.  The goblins always went crazy when a new victim came to face the labyrinth.  They always wanted to go out and ‘play’ with them.  Smaug allowed it, for his own entertainment.  It made his prey more helpless.  It was satisfying. 

Unfortunately, this time, he would not allow the goblins to interfere.  This victim, was going to be allowed to win.  

Smaug sat on the balcony of his castle and looked out upon the labyrinth.  He had watched, earlier today, from that spot as Nori stumbled down the hill, through all those pricker bushes he had allowed to grow years before.  The start of the game was always his favourite.  Most of the young ladies he preyed upon were barefoot and in nighttime attire when he was called on.  Watching their pain was delightful as they wasted time and energy on the first part.

He found himself sitting on the balcony again now, because of his annoyance with the older sibling he took.  This was a first for him.  It was always babies or toddlers which he was asked to take.  Ones with absolutely no willpower that he could easily turn into homemade goblins with his magic.  He had never been given an older sibling.

The older sibling, Dori, who he still hadn’t figured out if they were a he or she, was loud.  Smaug didn’t use any magic to feel him or her out to check their gender because they wouldn’t shut up and give him peace of mind.  They wouldn’t shut up about Nori.  They wouldn’t stop begging for them all to be sent home.  It was tiring.  And the little babe, Ori, who he believed was male, as Nori was, wouldn’t stop crying because his eldest sibling was upset.  

Three days of this was going to be too much.  Hopefully Nori would figure the labyrinth out easily on his own and get here.  

It didn’t seem like he could do much in the way of leading him into the right paths.  

Smaug tried to move a wall in the labyrinth he had his eye on with his magic.  It used to be such a quick change, now the wall moved slowly, turning itself sideways.  When he was done, he was short of breathe.

_ Damn.  Shouldn’t be this hard. _

Smaug grew angry.  He missed the last two feedings he could have had.  Two females had called for him in the last six months but he had not answered because he knew he was getting close to Nori cracking.  Nori had been muttering angrily and wishing under his breath.  Smaug knew Nori was so close.  He had watched Nori diligently.  Smaug saw every dull minute of human school, every hilarious moment with the group of boys that inflicted torment, every  _ touching  _ second spent with  _ Frerin. _  Smaug  _ knew _ Nori  _ so _ well.

There was a small thought tugging at the back of his mind.  His powers draining. Smaug needed to refill them before he lost complete control of the labyrinth.  He was sure enough magic would come back to him after Nori’s deal ended to make another deal with a girl he could eat the heart of.  He couldn’t eat Nori.  He needed Nori.

Smaug needed Nori to finally have full control of the kingdom.  He had ruled over it for one hundred and forty six years.  He used his own magic to suppress the royal family’s magic which ran through the land, trying to defend itself from Smaug.  

Smaug had tried to take the reigns of the kingdom’s magic from the old king, Thror.  He killed Thror.  Then he killed his son, Thrain.  Smaug fully expected all the magic to transfer to him after that.  He hadn’t even known of Thrain’s three children until it was too late.  They had escaped into the human realm, and with them, went the power of the lands with the eldest.

Thorin. 

Thorin was the one who held the power he needed.  Smaug would need to kill all three of the children to obtain it.  If only Smaug could get his hands on them. 

It was hard using his own magic to suppress the magic of the land and force it to do his bidding.  It always wanted to fight him.  To be stronger, he needed to be given the heart and soul of a dwarf.  It must be given fully to him, with full recognition of what they were  doing, so that the land would accept his magic over it.  It made the magic think the dwarfs accepted him as their new King.

Through the years, he realized the hearts and souls of the dwarfs left in the kingdom would never be fully given to him.  They weren’t blind to what he had done to the royal family and to them.  Smaug needed dwarf souls that didn’t recognize Smaug’s enslavement of their pitiful kind.  For that, he would need ones who were born after his takeover.  Some dwarfs had escaped into the human realm during his takeover.   Smaug decided to watch them.  The dwarfs there had begun to reproduce with the humans.  Perhaps he had finally found an answer to his problem.

He had been right.  

When he looked into the human realm from his crystal balls, he found a new breed.  

Half human, half dwarfs.  They grew fast enough in age and strong enough in soul to be used.  They were so young, but so perfect.

He sent his goblins out with books to trick the new half breeders to call on him.  

He granted them only one wish ever, to take away their younger siblings.  There was always younger siblings.  Dwarfs liked having as many children as possible.  When he took them, the young lady halfers always begged for them back.  Smaug used that to his advantage.  

They always struck up the deal.  The deal was always made with their full heart and soul in it because they wanted their little sibling back so strongly.  When they lost, they surrendered it to him with all that strength of the deal.  It always worked.

This would be a fine way to live, if Smaug wanted to contain himself to this Kingdom that is.

No, Smaug wanted more.  He wanted to set out and take over more lands of Fae.  To do that, he would need full control of the land.  He would drain too much of his magic just trying to get to another Fae land that he would completely lose control of the labyrinth should he try now.  He needed the power Thorin had from his birthright.  

Getting it would double his power and make things so much easier.

Thorin, Frerin, and Dis all needed to be destroyed.  Or they could surrender the power to him.

That’s where Nori came to play.  Nori was going to be a wonderful bargaining chip.  

Smaug couldn’t bring just regular humans to the labyrinth.  It had to be ones with Dwarfish blood running in their veins.  Ones that belonged here.   


Smaug had been watching the royal family for years.  Finally, one of them had stumbled upon and befriended a halfer.

Every so many years, Thorin would perform a magical spell to turn Frerin and Dis young again and let them age through human school so they weren’t stuck like him.  They could make friends, build relationships, and try a new human job and second schoolings.  They always seemed rather content to be alone, until Frerin met Nori.  The two hit it off.  Smaug had always thought that with Nori being a halfer, he was Frerin’s One.  They were a pleasure to watch together.

He wasn’t quite right, though.  Although the Prince fell hard and fast for Nori, Nori didn’t have the same feeling.  It meant they weren’t Ones.  It was fine.  Smaug could still use him.  Frerin still had enough feeling for Nori, that he would definitely surrender their family’s power for the halfer.  The way Frerin held onto Nori so protectively and cared so much throughout his time watching them proved as much.

Nori would win the labyrinth, but he sure as hell wouldn’t be leaving.

Nori and his siblings would be stuck here, in the center of the labyrinth, Smaug’s to use.  

Smaug was now regretting he had took both siblings.  He should have just took the youngest one.  Smaug just needed to make the deal using one of the siblings to pull Nori into his realm, not both.  

Smaug’s lip curled in disgust.  He could still hear the baby crying and the older one whining from two rooms over.  He inwardly growled.  First order of business, when Nori won, would be to eat Dori.  He would gain no power from it, but it would shut Dori up.

Smaug couldn’t take it anymore.  “Balin!”  He screamed for his personal slave.  

Balin was his assistant dwarf with a golden tongue he took as a bargained for prize years ago.  His loyalty was never in doubt, because he knew if he were to ever betray Smaug, that brother of his on the edge of the labyrinth would be devoured.

Balin scurried in as usual.  Immediate as always.  “Yes, my Master?”  He bowed respectfully.

“Shut it up.  I don’t care how.  Hurt it if you must.  Shut it up.”  Smaug growled.

“Shut...what up?”  Balin raised an eye in confusion.

“The elder sibling I took.  Shut it up.  I don’t know what its gender is, nor do I care.  Just shut it up!  Perhaps keep the little one away from it as punishment.”  Smaug demanded.

“Yes, my Master.”  Balin bowed and hurried off.

Smaug didn’t care, as long as that thing, Dori, was quieted.  Goblins began to come into his throne room as Balin left.  Good, about time for entertainment.  He’d check on Nori later.

* * *

 

 

Balin sighed.  He was doing Smaug’s paperwork when he had been called.  He had hardly noticed the new captives till now.  

Of course, whoever this was would be screaming.  Smaug let the Goblins torment the siblings.  

It was unusual to get two younger siblings, more unusual to get one with any will.  Smaug couldn’t change a creature with its own free will into a Goblin, only ones without willpower like babes and toddlers.  Young babes that didn’t know who they were and had no concept of living yet.

When he came into room, four Goblins were holding onto the oldest sibling, keeping him from the little sibling being held across the room by two other Goblins, crying.

“Let go of him!  Give me Ori back!”  He was yelling that and similar things as he smacked a Goblin away from him with his hand.  The eldest sibling sent it sliding across the room and into the wall.

The babe, Ori, was crying his his little lungs out and squirming all around. 

It was torture for Balin to watch.  He ended it quickly.  “That’s enough!  Give the little one back and get out!”  He bellowed.  

The Goblins didn’t obey right away.  It wasn’t until he went over and took the screaming babe, that they finally started to let go of the elder one and shuffle off, taking the hint their game was over.

The older sibling went to him in an instant.  “Ori!”  The sibling said and took little Ori from Balin before Balin had time to say anything.  “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry.”  They said to their baby brother and hugged him close and tightly as the babe finally began to calm down.

Noise ended.  Now what?  Smaug just said to turn the noise off.  Balin didn’t have to take the babe away if the noise ended, right?

Balin watched the siblings.  He knew what they were, halfers.  He had never met a live halfer who was old enough to speak coherently.  Balin was interested but would the halfer be interested?  He did just help reunite the both of the siblings, so maybe?

The halfer was coddling little Ori.  Balin grimaced.  No gender identifying braids.  What did he call this creature.  Maybe he should take a guess?  That would be rude.  He could ask but would the halfer get angry?  Well they were half dwarf.  For now he’d drop it, he was sure it would come obvious at some point.  “Balin, at your service.”  He bowed to the halfer.

The halfer looked up.  “Huh?”

“My name is Balin, and I am at your service.  May I get you anything?  And might I get your name?”  

“Um.”  The halfer cradled little Ori closer.  The babe was falling asleep in their arms.  “I’m Dori.  I don’t need any service unless it’s to get my other little brother, and leave this horrible, horrible place.”

Balin frowned.  He hoped that he could get something else out of Dori that he could do.  If he went on about leaving this ‘horrible, horrible’ place, Smaug would get 'very, very' angry, 'very, very' fast.  “I’m not able to help with that.  Our master made a deal with him.”

“What?!”  Dori yelled.  The baby brother let out a tiny whine and Dori lowered their voice.  “What do you mean he made a deal with your master?  What is this place?  What were those things that were grabbing onto my brother and I?  Where is Nori?  I want my little brother, now.”  Dori hissed, demandingly.

Balin sighed, this wouldn’t be easy.  “Let’s go sit down somewhere.  I know you’re confused, but-”

“I want answers now.”  Dori snapped.  “My family should be safe and sound at home, not here!”  They began to raise their voice again.

“Shhhh!”  Balin held a finger to his lips as he shushed Dori.  “If you bother Master Smaug by being too loud, you will put your brothers in danger.  If you want them safe, quiet down.  Come with me.”  He started to head out of the room.  Balin decided that Dori could make the choice whether to listen to him or disobey now that the consequences were mentioned.  He had thought Dori decided against his warning for a few moments until the halfer came running after him with the little babe held to Dori’s chest.  

“Keep those awful creatures away from me and my baby brother.”  Dori hissed as they fell into step with Balin.

“Of course.  We’ll have dinner soon.  I’ll have a room readied for you for tonight.  I’ll ask you again, may I get you anything?”  Balin reached out and put his hand on Dori’s back, gently.  He led him down the hall.  The further away from Smaug, the better.

“Hand.  Off.  Now.”  Dori ordered and Balin quickly took it away.   “Also, clothes, if you are getting me anything else.  I don’t want to go walking around in my bathrobe like this.  It’s embarrassing and demeaning.  I can’t believe anyone, especially you and those creatures are seeing me like this.”  

Balin was a bit confused.  Dori looked great, even if Dori was only a halfer.  He had never seen one Smaug took that had such a good, dwarfish figure.  “Your night robe is well crafted and your hair is as beautiful as mithril without a single strand out of place.  I’ll have new clothes brought to you, but you look lovely.”

Dori scowled and blushed.  “Don’t say that about me.  You’re a boy.”

“Yes?  What does saying you are lovely have anything to do with me being a boy?”  This wasn’t helping Balin’s confusion. 

“I’m a boy.  It’s...weird.”  Dori looked away from Balin.   

At least Balin knew Dori’s gender now.  “I don’t see why you think it’s weird.  Do humans not call one another lovely?”

“You call women lovely, not men unless you’re...I mean, some do anyways, but not...I mean two men being...they do sometimes.  I mean I wouldn’t know.  I can’t really talk because I’m not.  Well.  I mean I don’t know if I should.  Could.  I don’t want...I don’t know...oh…”  Dori sighed harshly.  He couldn’t find words.  “You know what?  Can we not get into this?  I get into it enough with Nori.  I don’t want to talk about it.  Don’t call me lovely.”  

“Alright.  Not lovely.  Handsome, then?”  Balin corrected.

“No!  I’m fat!  Why are you saying that?  You shouldn’t say that.”  Dori snapped.

Balin bit the inside of his lip.  He didn’t understand what was wrong.  Dori was rather attractive as far as humans went to him.  Maybe it was a human things?  Balin didn’t quite know humans.  Perhaps he should just drop it though.  “Alright.  Why don’t we just go to my room and have dinner?”

“In your bedroom?  Why would we eat there?”  Dori looked offended.

“Not my bedroom, my study or main room is what we can use.  I have rooms.  My main room, bedroom, study with a small library, my bathroom, and a guest room.  It's private.  No one but me shall see you in your current wardrobe.”  Balin had intended to bring him to dinner with the rest of the castle-serving dwarfs, but he could see how self conscious Dori was, and wanted him to be more comfortable.  Especially since he would be answering questions that would be personal and emotional to Dori.

“Oh.”  Dori’s shoulders relaxed a bit.  He had been tense.  “That would be...fine.”

Balin smiled to himself.  He just had to be tactful and maybe this wouldn’t go so badly.  “Wonderful.”  They turned two more halls and got to the room without passing anyone.  Thank Mahal because Dori still seemed a little tense.  “Can I offer you a cup of tea?”  Balin asked as he opened the door.

“...I could go for a cup…”  Dori murmured as he stepped into Balin’s main room.  There was already a nice spread of food on a table Balin had set between two love seats in the center of the room.  Dori took one and set the now-sleeping Ori down.  He rested the babe’s head against a fluffed pillow and took the knitted blanket off the back of the seat and tucked in his little brother.  

Balin took care to shut the door gently and lock it.  Goblins weren’t allowed in his room, but he didn’t want it to start now.  He went over to the table and poured them each a cup of chamomile.  He hummed as he did so until he took a seat across from Dori.  “Comfy?”

“...I suppose.”  Dori admitted.  This room wasn’t so terrible.  It was warm and inviting.  Dori didn’t want to admit that he finally felt he had gotten Ori to a safe place.  

Dori took a sugar cube and dropped it into his tea.  “Can I get some questions answered now?”  He asked as he stirred his tea.  

“As long as you drink your tea, have something to eat, and calm your nerves, you’re welcome to ask your questions.”  Balin said as then drank his own as it was.  

Dori made a displeased sound but did pull a plate of pecan pastries to nibble on between tea and questions.  “Where am I? What are those horrible little creatures that were separating Ori and I? And where is Nori?”  He demanded, barely pausing between each word.  

Balin sighed softly and smiled weakly.  “Let me give you a simple explanation, detailed would have us here for hours.  You are in the Kingdom of the Goblin King, Smaug.  All those horrid creatures are goblins.  I’m not one of them, I’m a dwarf.  You were taken from the human realm because of your brother, Nori, correct?  He wished you away accidently.  Or on purpose?  Either way, he felt regretful enough to start a deal with our Master to save you and your little one, Ori.  The deal is basically, he must get to the castle here in the labyrinth, within time constraints, and he gets you both back.”  He talked quickly to avoid interruptions from Dori.

Dori’s eyes squinted.  “You aren’t serious.  None of this is serious.  The Goblin King is just a character in Nori’s favourite book.  How are we here?”

“Well, those books are special.  The Master sends them out to trick young halfer ladies into calling him.  Your brother is the first male halfer ever to ever call on him, but he was still tricked into it.  I’m sorry.”  Balin was sincere.  He was heavy-hearted watching halfers come through here to be killed and their young siblings be transformed into new goblins.  It shook him to the bone and bubbled a mixture of anger and sickness in the core of his being watching, what should be little dwarflings learning the culture of their kind, being eaten or changed.  What would become of Dori if Nori lost?  He was much too old to be able to be turned into a goblin.  Eating him would give no gain to Smaug.

“That’s ridiculous.  I...oh my god…”  Dori didn’t feel much like eating anymore and held his face in his hands.  “I have to believe this, don’t I?  How else are we here…”  Dori started muttering to himself.  “What do I do...what do I do…This has to be a dream...what do I do...”

“Dori..?”  Balin called softly.  “Dori.   Please, settle down.  It’s alright.  It’s not a dream...tomorrow you’ll still be here.  Tomorrow when you’re comfortable, I could introduce to some other dwarfs happy to help along with myself to have you comfortable here.” 

Dori looked Balin up and down.  “You and others here are dwarfs?  You mean like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?  I thought you were just an older man.  You’re too big to be one.  How are you a dwarf?”

“I just...am?”  Balin frowned.  “I’m not that old...I’m still one of the younger dwarfs to live here.  I’m normal dwarf size.  If you had grown up full dwarf instead of halfer, you’d have more time on you to get to this point in your life.  Your current age as a halfer, transferred into dwarf time would be rather close to my age.”

“You keep calling my brother and I halfers.  Why are you calling us that?”  

“Well...if you didn’t have dwarf blood in you, Master Smaug wouldn’t have been able to pull you here.  Fae lands are binded so that humans cannot easily come here.  Humans have some part of them that works funny with magic in our lands.  It’s very dangerous and we don’t understand it yet.  Children born half Fae are fine, the Fae part can tame human half.  I suppose whichever parent you are with that is a dwarf, haven’t told you, you are half human, half dwarf?”  Balin replied.

Dori looked perturbed.  “No.  We aren’t...what?”

“One of your parents would be a dwarf for all three of you to be here.  I mean you could be half hobbit, or half elf, even half Orc, but Smaug only eats halfers of dwarf carrying blood.”  Balin explained.

“...We only share a mother, our mother isn’t...she can’t be.  That just isn’t possible.  I had to have passed out on the couch at home with Ori.  This can’t be real.”  Dori rubbed his face.  

“It is.  But...if it hurts, don’t think about it.  Take your time.  Your brother has a lot of time to get here and save you.  He wished you away, but he can make it right.  You can all get home and never think of this again.”  Balin wanted to make Dori feel better.  

“My brother would never wish Ori and I to be taken by that monster.”  Dori looked over to Ori.  “He gets mad with us, but he loves us.  He wouldn’t actually wish us away.  He wouldn’t mean it.  We shouldn’t be here.” 

“Well…”  Balin looked sheepish.  “Master Smaug doesn’t care how serious Nori was.  Nori said it so Master Smaug did it.”

“Why would you do it, Nori…?”  Dori sighed to himself.

“Did you two have a fight?  Do you fight about anything over and over again that may have finally boiled over?  Many halfers running through here were annoyed with their siblings for something insignificant.  I’m sure it wasn’t a big deal between you too but Nori was upset enough, stressed enough that he just said something he didn’t mean…Younger brothers are sensitive creatures.  We can give what we can to them, including our ideas on dealing with situations, but sometimes they just have different views on the way we do.  I know that well.”

“Nori prefers fighting to get straight through problems as quick as possible rather than trying to take time to logically get through issues…”  Dori sighed.

‘I actually know that extremely well…”  Balin murmured.

Dori threw his head in his hands again.  “I shouldn’t have asked him about the bruises…”  Dori sounded guilty.

“Bruises?”  Balin inquired.

“...Bruises on his arms...I’m worried he’s being bullied at school like I was when I was younger.  Only for me it was because I was fat, him it’s…”  Dori sighed.  “Nori is his own person.  He’s so good at being him.  Nori doesn’t care what anyone thinks, no matter the consequence, because he will not settle with hiding his real self behind walls and shadows.  He’s so strong but thickheaded.  I wasn’t like him through high school…”

“Like you said, he fights his battles.  He doesn’t tackle logically.  He probably wants to take care of it on his own, physically.  I understand that.  My own younger brother is the same way.  Sometimes all you can do it accept it and love him.  Let him know it’s okay not to tell you but you’re here should he need you.  Even though he doesn’t think he needs you.”  Balin replied.  Balin wondered if towards the end of what he was saying, was he still talking about Dori’s brother, or had he changed topics to Dwalin.  Balin chose to drop that though.  Then he scowled.  “Why do you keep saying fat so repulsively?  Why would anyone bully you on that account?”

“Because it’s disgusting!  I tried diets and exercise and I couldn’t get it off.  When I turned twenty one my red hair just ‘poofed’ away and turned this colour, like my Mother’s literally overnight!  I woke up on my birthday to it!  Not just that though.  I had started growing a beard and mustache overnight when I never had a single bit of hair on my face before like that.”  Dori complained.  “I work at a grocery store and all my coworkers make jokes I’m at least sixty five and that I’m their ‘old man’.

“I don’t know what humans hold for a beauty standard, but it sounds like it’s very different from the dwarf one.  Dwarfs would certainly not make fun for one of our own for not meeting it though.”  Balin said, disgusted at what he was hearing.  “If you did grow a beard and mustache, I’d doubt any dwarf would be able to resist you, neither male nor female.  Your mother must be lovely.  And sixty five is a fine age to be, it’s hardly old and you have a long time to get there.”

Dori’s cheeks grew red.  “I can’t hardly believe that…”  Dori paused for a moment.  “...and why wouldn’t  _ men _ be able to resist me?  I’m not...I mean...I’ve never…”  Dori took a deep breathe.  “Men are Nori’s thing…”

Balin was confused for a moment until it clicked.  “Oh, you prefer females only?  That’s an odd thing for a dwarf, even if you are a halfer, but to each his own.  Less female dwarfs exist than male.  I prefer men myself although both genders are equally wonderful.”

Dori looked stunned.  “Don’t...others look at you oddly for that?”

“No?  Why would they?  If I care for someone, I care for them.  Regardless of others’ thoughts.  Why let others dictate how you feel?”  Balin said simply.

“...Nori tries to tell me that all the time.  That I shouldn’t care because humans do care whether you date the same gender or not.  It’s just a feeling in my chest though.  My chest gets tight and my face gets red...I can’t put myself through that to date...men.  I couldn’t take the stares and the whispers.”  Dori looked down into his tea that had grown cold.

He enjoyed learning about the human world but Balin had to admit the human world was uncomfortable in how they didn’t seem to accept others if their size wasn’t what they wanted a person to be at or with someone of the same gender, but he enjoyed learning nevertheless.  “You’re losing me.  If you favour female humans…”  He let it trail off.

“...What if...I didn’t favour females…”  Dori said quietly.

“Then that would be okay.  Maybe it wouldn’t be perfect in the human world, but here you would be completely respected.”  Balin informed him.  “Your tea is cold, the bit in the pot is still warm, shall I pour you some more?” 

Dori shrugged and stayed quiet, staring at the teacup still.

Balin thought this was going well.  Dori wasn’t yelling about his brother and disturbing Smaug.  The babe, Ori, was asleep.  Ori was adorable.  He did not want to see Smaug turn Dori’s tiny brother into a goblin.

“Eat something.  You didn’t even finish a pastry.”  Balin insisted, passing him a plate of tiny sandwiches.    

Dori shook his head.  “No thank you...I’m not hungry anymore.”  He murmured.

“Have you ever been with a man before?”

“No! Never!”  Dori began blushing again.

“It may not be my business to say, but perhaps you ought to try it.”  Balin replied as he poured Dori a new cup of tea and replaced his.

It took a few moments for Dori to answer.  “...You’re right.  It isn’t your business to say.  I think I’d like to be led to my bedroom.  I could never make it through a date with a man.”  

Balin smirked a bit.  “You’re making it fine alone with me.”

“This isn’t a date!  I have Ori here and we haven’t decided on it being a date.”  Dori pressed back against his seat and held his hands together.  “I wouldn’t know what to do.  I’d mess it up.”

“You’d do what we are doing now.  Enjoying one another’s company.  Ori is asleep, but I’m just pointing out you’re fine one on one with another man. That’s not far from courting with one.  Well, dating, what humans call it.”  Balin grinned.  Dori was certainly getting flustered and bashful, but he had a bit of a smile on his face.  Dori showed no more signs of nerves or stress.  It seemed like he was getting a weight off his chest.  Dori was a lovely halfer, and Balin enjoyed finally being able to actually talk to one.  “If you did want to call us talking a date.  We could let Ori sleep in my guest room while we enjoyed ourselves out here.  I want to know more about the human world.  Of course if you’re uncomfortable with feeling like you are with an ‘old man’ it doesn’t have to happen.”

“...You don’t look...that old...I just...Maybe we could have a...date, tomorrow.”  Dori decided.  Then his little smile began to fade.

“Only if its because you want to and it’s not out of guilt from calling me old.” Balin replied.  No sense in having a date Dori didn’t actually want.

Dori nodded.  “I think...I’d like to.  I’d like to try it at least.  Tomorrow could we?  Today I could tell you about the human world, but first I need to know about Nori.  How is my brother?  Is the labyrinth awfully hard?  Please be honest...I’m starting to...trust you.  This castle is horrifying.”

Balin was a bit stunned by that.  He hadn’t had anyone trust him in a very long time.  Not even Dwalin.  Even though Dwalin no longer trusted him, Balin still made and kept an old deal with Smaug that protected Dwalin but made Balin a personal servant to Smaug.  Not even the other Dwarfs of the Castle and of the Goblin City trusted him anymore.  They obeyed and were happy to see him, but they all feared he would give up their secrets and give them away to Smaug.  Balin wouldn’t dare do that to his people, although he had told some secrets of dwarfs who had helped Smaug take over but now had second thoughts, to get them killed, he didn’t consider those traitors his people.  Balin would always protect his people, and Dori and Ori were now included.  Nori too, if he got here.  Hearing Dori trusted him, was something he had needed from anyone for a long time.

Balin got up and reached out his hand to take Dori’s.  “I’m glad you're you can say such about me.  I’ll do my best to keep that trust.  And thank you for tonight, it’s nice to have a dinner guest, I don’t have them often.”  He kissed Dori’s hand gently, making the halfer blush, then sat back down.  “The labyrinth is hard, but Master Smaug gave him three times the time to get here.  Your brother will be fine during it...the only thing you have to worry about is if he doesn’t get here.”

“What are the consequences for him not making it to us?”  Dori asked.

“...You won’t like the full truth, so I beg you not to ask me what will happen, but you will all be stuck here.”  Balin didn’t want to tell him that Ori wouldn’t be a cute little babe anymore and Nori would be quickly killed.  Balin didn’t know what Smaug would do to Dori.  Maybe he could convince Smaug to let him have the halfer stay with him.   “I can get my hands on a crystal ball if you want to watch Nori.  We just need to be quiet about having it since we aren’t supposed to.”

“I appreciate that.  Yes please.  But, I need to know the consequences.  Please.  I can take it.”  Dori bit his lower lip.  

“...Could I tell you tomorrow, after our date.  I...don’t want to ruin anything before we have a nice time…”  Balin looked down.

“...Will he kill us all?”  Dori asked softly.  

Balin stayed silent for a while.  “...Just Nori...”  He heard himself admit.  

“What can I do if he loses?  There has to be a way to get that monster to spare Nori.”  Dori looked worried.

“Master Smaug chooses the halfers needs to eat.  He never spares them.”  Balin took a breath.  

“Why?  Would he…”  Dori hesitated.  “Would he send my brothers home if I traded him myself to eat in place for Nori?  I would give everything for them.”

Balin bit the inside of his mouth.  That might work.  He didn’t want to see Dori do that.  “Dori, don’t do that.  Trust your brother will make it here.”

“Would it work?”  Dori demanded an answer.  He looked so desperate.

“No.  Smaug wouldn’t make an exchange like that.”  Balin lied.  Dori had told Balin he trusted him and Balin had lied.  Smaug would get the halfer he needed to eat if Dori did that.  Balin didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want Dori to run off and try this when Nori had plenty of time to win.  Maybe Balin could help Nori some way win this and get to the castle.  

Dori’s lower lip quivered and his eyes began to well up with tears.  “I’m a bad brother…”

“You are not, you did your best.  That makes you a great one.”  Balin quickly got up and moved over to be right next to Dori.  “...Go ahead.”  He whispered.

And with that, came water works.  Dori cried softly and for a long while while Balin wrapped arms around him to comfort him.  

Dori cried for a long time while he recounted tales of Nori and his adventures from when they were younger.  Balin listened and rubbed Dori’s back.  At some point, Dori’s stories slowed and his eyes fluttered shut.  He fell asleep against Balin.  

Balin carried him to the the guest bedroom and set him down.  He brought Ori in, put pillows around the babe so he wouldn’t fall off, then put tons of warm knitted blankets upon them.  Most of the knitted blankets were old, with memories of his mother who made them.  Hopefully it would help give the halfers good dreams. 

Balin sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Dori.  He looked peaceful like this.  Balin didn’t know what had suddenly made him like Dori so much, but he did.  Maybe it was how he could relate to having a younger brother he wanted to protect from the awful creature Balin served.  Perhaps it was because he found the way he blushed endearing.  Dori didn’t realize how attractive he was and seemed to be naturally self conscious.  Balin wanted to help with that.  He didn’t know why he wanted to help, he just did.  Balin fully intended to make sure he was comfortable here.  Dori might have been the only halfer that Balin had the pleasure of formally meeting, but Balin was sure if he had met more, Dori would still be his favourite.  There was just something about Dori...

Balin left Dori and little Ori, with the door cracked open and the fireplace lit.  He decided that his guest room would be where they stayed.  No goblin was allowed in his room and he intended to keep it that way.

Balin went off to see Smaug.  He intended to ‘borrow’ a glass ball so he could let Dori view his brother.  

He could hear the dark, messy music of the goblins as he approached the throne room.  He stood in the doorway.  Smaug had his favourite goblins running around and on a large, long table, making a mess.  All the food the chefs, who were enslaved dwarfs, looked appalled from their places along the wall,waiting to clean up after the goblins made their mess and music.  

Smaug was in his throne, lost in thought.  

“Master, I have quieted him.”  Dori approached carefully but spoke loud above the noise so he was noticed.

Smaug glared at him.  “I noticed.  I hope you did something horrible to him.”

“...I had him crying for nearly an hour until he passed out, Master.”  Balin answered.  He was truthful in what he had said, even if he left out he had comforted him.  Smaug smelt truth and lies.  Just leaving things out made manipulation easy.

Smaug relaxed as he read Balin.  “Good.”  He purred.  “Get me one of my crystals, I want to see how my little Nori is doing.”  Smaug was always possessive of his prey.  For him, Dori’s little brother, Nori, belonged to him.

“Yes, Master.”  Balin went off and grabbed one left on a window sill.  Smaug left them around the throne room.  Balin could always find one.  He would sneak one out later.

Balin’s mouth went dry as he picked up the crystal and saw Dwalin with Nori in the oubliette.  That particular oubliette was close.  What was Dwalin doing there?  Balin’s younger brother should definitely not be there.  He had to be leading Nori.  It could make things bad for everyone if that was happening.

“Balin!  Bring it here!”  Barked Smaug.

Balin had no choice but to bring it.  “Master, please, I don’t know what’s going on, but I swear Dwalin means nothing against you.”

Smaug ripped the crystal orb from his hands.  He hummed.  “Balin, why is your brother helping my new plaything?”

Balin felt like he couldn’t breathe.  He tried to think as quickly as possible to think up an excuse.  “Well...he...you.  You always have females, this is the first male, isn’t it?  Dwalin favours strictly males.  He never goes against you, Master.  He just stays outside the labyrinth alone...he...he no doubt gets lonely.  He-”

Smaug started laughing.  “I get it.  He hasn’t mated in years and here is a pretty young thing with parts he likes.  Perhaps I’ll allow him to take my toy in the middle of the throne room for my amusement when they get here.”

“When they...gets here?”  Balin asked, surprised.  He didn’t understand.

“Yes.  When Nori arrives at the castle before his time runs out.  I may not be able to eat him, but I have other uses for the boy.”

“I don’t follow, Master.  You’re letting Nori win?”  Balin inquired.  He was only getting more confused.

Smaug smirked, predatorily.  

Balin felt sick.  “Why?”

“Because I have some good uses for this family, Balin.  Keep that older sibling and the babe locked up somewhere in the castle, tight.  They are not to leave the castle grounds under any circumstances.”  Smaug ordered.

Balin felt worse.  “What’s going on?”

“I’m working on a special plan.  Soon I should be able to extend my powers and reach.”  Smaug pat Balin’s head.  

“What?  How?”  Balin was extremely surprised and scared.  “How is that possible with the magic you must use on the labyrinth.”

“Because that little red head going through my labyrinth will lure his best friend, Prince Frerin, right into my trap.  If Prince Thorin and little Princess Dis don’t follow him here, they will no doubt be after him soon.”

Balin went pale.  Dori’s family knew the princes and princess?  Everyone was going to come back after all these years?  The way Smaug was smirking scared him.

Smaug didn’t expect a reply from Balin.  He pushed the crystal ball back into Balin’s hands.  “Let me go check on the boys and see how they’re doing.  Maybe send a little trouble their way for Dwalin’s involvement.  They’ll be fine I’m sure.  That brother of yours does love to defy my will.”  Smaug got up, stretched, and in a second, disappeared.

Balin’s mouth gaped open.  He had his ways to contact Thorin.  Balin had to get ahold of the Prince.  Balin had to send a message to Thorin then bring the crystal ball that Smaug pushed back in his hands to Dori.  He could do this.    
They could defeat Smaug, especially if Smaug was wasting magic on a deal he was going to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I love comments and kudos so feel free to share your opinions below!


	5. Unwanted Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin comes to get Nori out of the oubliette, but things never are easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not posting a chapter last week. It's been a very stressful few weeks and I'm trying to make sure I get this done but it's hard to keep up sometimes. ^^;;
> 
> Thank you so much for keeping with the story.
> 
> Art midchapter is done by asparklethatisblue.tumblr.com so please check them out!

# Unwanted Attention

# 

Nori felt like he was waiting an eternity, even though it was only few hours at most.  

 

He passed some of the time by playing pacman on his phone, but put it away when he realized the battery was draining faster than he wanted it to.  The little screen lighting up the time was keeping him calm when all he wanted to do was freak out.  

 

What if Dwalin didn’t know where he was?  If Dwalin couldn’t actually reach him, would he die here?  Would Dori be killed after him?  And Ori?  He hadn’t asked Smaug what would happen to them, did he?  Or maybe he did?  Nori couldn’t remember.  Nori had been pretty focused on the part where Smaug wanted to ‘rip his heart of of his chest and eat it.’  

 

Nori shivered and curled up in a ball on the ground.  He let out a sigh and watched as his breath puffed up in a white cloud.  It was much colder down here than the surface of the labyrinth.  It was torturous.

 

Nori heard a little noise from across the room.  The mock door across the room started to shake.  Nori sat straight up and looked at it.  There was nothing but wall behind it.  He had checked it.  He scrambled to his feet, held his arms crossed against his chest, tight, and pressed his back against the wall.  Was this another one of Smaug’s traps?

 

Nori’s eyes went wide and his heart beat faster right before the door burst open.  A yell caught in his throat as panic ran through him that quickly mellowed down as he recognised the figure in the doorway.  

 

Dwalin had come for him.  

 

Nori took a breathe of relief.  “Dwalin, you did come to help me.”  He smiled at the big Dwarf, never happier to see someone in his life.

 

Dwalin nodded.  “Told you I would come if you got caught somewhere.  I’m just..surprised is all.”  He grinned at Nori and stepped into the chamber.  

 

“That I got caught so soon?”  Nori grinned sheepishly.

 

“No, that you got so far into the labyrinth.  I had to haul arse to get here. It wasn’t easy.  I don’t what his Sadistic Lordship is up to in that damn castle, but the Labyrinth is acting weirdly and walls aren’t moving around in the pattern they should be.  This particular oubliette is supposed to be a lot closer to the palace than it is currently.”

 

“What’s an oubliette?  And how do you know the Labyrinth is moving oddly?”  Nori asked.  He walked closer to Dwalin so he could look past him and see the long hallway behind him.  That definitely didn’t exist before.  “Where did the hallway come from?”

 

“Questions, questions, questions.”  Dwalin mused, smirking.  “Guess it’s my fault for opening them up earlier.  Oubliettes are places you put people to forget about them.  The passageway behind us is magic that works with the door.”  

 

“And the Labyrinth moving oddly?”  Nori pressed.

 

“Two walls crashed into each other and came down.  That has never, ever happened.  I promise you that.”  Dwalin put a hand on Nori’s back to guide him into the passage so they could leave.  Dwalin pulled it away sharply almost instantly after he made contact with Nori.  “Mahal’s balls!  Nori, you're like ice!”  Dwalin barked.

 

Nori shrugged.  “I get...cold.  Easily.  I’m used to it.  I’ll probably catch a cold or a fever after all of this.”  He started down the passageway quickly.  “I hope it warms up when we get out of here.  I might be used to it, but I hate the cold.”  

 

Nori missed Frerin, he would wrap himself around Nori tightly.  His mother would have made him cuddle up with her.  Even Dori would throw a blanket around the two of them and force Nori to come close and warm up.

 

What Dwalin did wasn’t bad either.  Dwalin followed Nori.  When he caught up to the redhead, he ran his hands up and down Nori’s arms to warm him up.  When the passage widened up, Dwalin walked beside Nori and threw an arm around Nori.  “Hope this is okay?”

 

Nori nodded and blushed a bit.  “Yeah...I’m pretty frozen.”  He leaned up against Dwalin.  “Is this...fine?”

 

“Of course.  I should have gotten cloaks for us before we came into the Labyrinth.  I’m not out in the Labyrinth at night much, but the cold gets unforgiving.  Sometimes it will snow at night in the summer seasons.”  Dwalin scowled.

 

“...I hate this shitty Labyrinth.”  Nori muttered and pressed closer to the Dwarf.  It was pretty nice with someone as hot as Dwalin so willing to hold onto him and warm him up.  Nori definitely enjoyed Dwalin’s company.  

 

Dwalin chuckled a bit.  “It is shitty.  You should have seen it when it was Erebor.  You would enter through big stone archways at the base of the mountain, straight into the palace, always greeted by our King and his children and his grandchildren.   You could look straight from the bridge that spanned across a cavern, to the throne, and look down to see our city.  Every home and pathway was built straight into the stone with steps downward, deeper into the walls until you hit the bottom floor.  At the bottom, was our great Bazaar where the shops of grocers, merchants, jewelers, and many others sold wares, baubles, and food made here and from realms all over Fae.  Glow crystals of blues, whites, greens, pinks, purples, and yellows protruded from the walls and were hung on strings that lit our ‘sky’ and filled our world with colour. I don’t do it near enough justice just telling you, Nori.  You had to have seen it.”

 

Nori could only imagine, but what he did imagine was a kingdom of fantasy and amazement.  “...I would have loved to...Is...Is there anyway to get it back?”

 

“...Maybe.  My Prince might be able to come home one day and overthrow Smaug.”  Dwalin admitted.  “Right now Smaug eats the soul and heart of the ones who lose his deal...you winning against him, could keep him on the path to getting weaker.”

 

“Is that why you’re helping me?  Because I’m possibly giving you a chance to save your home?”  Nori asked.  The passage around them was becoming rocky and Nori could finally light coming through cracks of the ceiling.  

 

“That...and who you know.  I admit...if you didn’t know my princes and princess...you might have been on your own here…”  Dwalin murmured.

 

“I know who?!”  Nori was stunned.  What did Dwalin mean?  How would Nori know the dwarf princes and princess?  

 

“Well, I think I can tell you.  You know-”  Dwalin was interrupted by a deep voice.

 

“Don’t go on!”  Yelled a voice from one of these giant rock faces.  Their passageway had opened up more.  The whole area forward was filled with the rock faces.  Nori’s eyes widened and he pulled backwards towards the way they had come.

 

“It’s okay, don’t worry.”  Dwalin whispered and kept his arm tight around Nori, securely.  He continued to lead Nori forward with him.

 

Nori tried to wrap his arm around Dwalin tightly as another one spoke.  “Go back while you still can!”

 

“This is not the way!”  Yelled one to their left while they passed.

 

“Take heed, and go no further!’  Came from one on the right. 

 

Dwalin seemed to be mildly annoyed but not worried.

 

“Why are they yelling at us?”  Nori hissed.

 

“Beware, beware.”  Whispered one in front of them, darkly.  It made Nori come to a complete stop against Dwalin.

 

“Soon it will be too late!”   

 

Dwalin scoffed.  “Don’t listen to them.  They’re false alarms and the bloody Labyrinth is full of them.  It’s fucking annoying.  You always hear them when you’re going the right way.”  

 

Nori took an easy breath.  “Oh.  Sorry.  We can walk again.”

 

Dwalin nodded as they started up on their way again.  “It’s okay, it’s not like you knew.  They are pretty intimidating.”  Dwalin rubbed Nori’s back softly.  

 

“Okay, this is a bit more bearable now.”  Nori admitted.

 

“Beware, for the-”  Started one that was then interrupted by Dwalin.

 

“Shut up!  You’re scaring my...Nori.  Stop it, shut up.  Neither of us care.”  Dwalin wasn’t in the mood.  He found false alarms the worst thing in the Labyrinth.

 

“Oh, but I haven’t said it in so long.”  The rock face replied.

 

“I don’t care, you’re creepy…” Nori groaned.

 

“Practice with your friends after we go through.”  Dwalin grunted.  “Or I’ll take off your nose with one of my axes.”

 

“Shutting up.”  The rock face said and closed his mouth to show it was done.

 

“Thank Mahal.”  Dwalin muttered as they continued on.

 

“Thank god.”  Nori sighed.  

 

They continued on.

 

“So...I know the Princes and Princess of Erebor...are they really…”  Nori trailed off.

 

“Thorin, Frerin, and Dis.  They ran to the human realm when Smaug took over a hundred years ago.”  Dwalin confirmed.

 

“But how?  Frerin and I grew up together from preschool and on.”  Nori was surprised.  Nori grew up with Frerin.  They spent their entire childhood together.  How could Frerin be so old if they grew up together?

 

“Magic probably.  Honestly, magic is the answer to most questions about life here.  Thorin had been the rightful King of Erebor for years.  If he’s still alive, immortal, and young, these lands have had to be sending magic to him through whatever passage or portal leads to the human realm, for years.  Thorin would be strong right now.  If Frerin or Dis wanted to have a quick restart on life in the human realm, an aging spell doesn’t take too much magic.  Frerin is really the same age as me.  Frerin is half a year older, but you know, same age.”  Dwalin theorized.  

 

They began to enter a new underground passageway.

 

“Oh my god my best friend is a Prince.  And he’s older than me.”  Nori realized.  “Dwalin!  How does he like me?  Like, I mean, want to be friends with me and stuff.”

 

Dwalin chuckled and shrugged.  “What’s not to like?  I haven’t known you long, but I’m enjoying your company.”  He grinned.

 

Nori elbowed him in the side.  “We haven’t even spent two hours together.  I could be wicked, you know.”  Nori had broke into a grin as well.

 

“Someone as tiny as you?  I doubt it.”  Dwalin teased.

 

“It’s true, I’m awful.  I once punched a guy for trying to take my backpack from me.”  Nori said smugly.  He had punched mean old Martin right in the face.  It had been a good day.

 

“Oh really?  I have a feisty little redhead on my arm, aye?”  Dwalin continued with his teasing.

 

“Mmmaybe.”  Nori drew it out, smirking up at Dwalin.

 

“And what have we here?”  Came a voice in front of the two, stopping them in their tracks.

 

“Smaug…” Dwalin growled, pulling Nori close against him and drawing out his axe with his other hand. 

 

“Nothing!”  Nori yelled at the same time.  He didn’t mind being squished against Dwalin, he didn’t want to end up near Smaug.

 

“Nothing, nothing at all?”  Smaug gave them a toothy grin, full of pointed teeth.  

 

“Nothing that is your business.”  Dwalin pushed Nori behind himself.  

 

Smaug tsked.  “Dwalin, are you helping my toy?”

 

“He ain’t your toy.  Nori is his own person.  We’re getting him to your damned castle and you’re losing this one.”  Dwalin told him as he drew his second axe out.  “Leave, you bloody bastard.”

 

“Charming.”  Smaug answered sarcastically.  He scowled.  “I ought to suspend you head first into the Bog of Eternal Stench.”  

 

“I ought to put my axe through your skull and end the misery you’re putting my kind through.”  Dwalin glared at him, unafraid.

 

Smaug rolled his eyes.  Then he leaned to the side to look at Nori.  “Nori, dearest, how are you enjoying my Labyrinth?”  He asked in a sickly sweet voice.

 

“It’s fucking psychotic…”  Nori murmured.

 

“Oh?  But wouldn’t you like to up the stakes?”  Smaug grinned.  He made the clock appear that they had originally made their deal with.  The hands started to move.

 

“Hey!  Hey you can’t do that!  I don’t consent to this!”  Nori spoke up.  “Stop!  Stop!  Stop!”  Nori yelped.

 

Smaug scowled once more and clicked his tongue as the clock hands stopped moving.  

 

“I saw that!  Five hours!  Nori gets five hours past when that clock chimes to make up for what you tried to take away.  You have a deal with him Smaug, seventy two hours!  You can’t change it.”  Dwalin barked.

 

Smaug’s eye twitched as he made the clock disappear.  “I don’t think I like you disrupting my game.”  Smaug said through clenched teeth.  He had done his clock tricks many times before.  The young women had always just accepted he took time from them.  Dwalin was giving Nori a bit of strength that Smaug didn’t want Nori to have, even if Smaug intended for Nori to win.

 

Dwalin raised an axe.  “And I don’t like that you disrupted Nori’s and my own life.”  He was ready to attack Smaug.

 

“Why don’t I give you two a gift then, to make up for everything?”  Smaug hissed and made a clear orb appeared.  He was pissed off.  Smaug threw the orb. 

 

Nori heard an odd whirring noise and looked to where Smaug threw the Orb.  He saw spinning metal blades coming from the darkness, towards him and Dwalin.  Nori eyes widened as he gasped.

 

“Shit!”  Dwalin snapped and grabbed Nori.  

 

“Good luck.”  Smaug growled with a mock grin.  He then disappeared from behind them.

 

 

Dwalin hoisted Nori up over his shoulder and went running in the opposite direction before Nori could protest.  

 

Nori dug his fingers into Dwalin’s back like claws.  “What is that thing?!”

 

“Cleaners!  It goes straight clean through you!  Mahal’s balls!”  Dwalin stopped and put Nori down when they got to a giant iron gate.  Dwalin started beating the locks with his axes.

 

Nori watched, in horror, as the wall of spinning blades came closer.  He looked around where they were.  Dwalin was making no headway with the gate.  There had to be another way out.  It couldn’t end like this.  He ran around the area and felt up the walls.  If Dwalin got into the oubliette from a secret magic passage, there had to be more.  It took him a second to realize he was pressing against an old set of doors.  Nori pushed on them, they wouldn’t open for him, but they didn’t seem locked or anything.  “Dwalin!  Over here!  Open these!”  Nori yelled to his companion.

 

Dwalin looked over and saw where Nori was.  “Coming!”  He barked.  Dwalin ran over and pushed on it.  He quickly put his axes back in his harness and picked Nori up over his shoulder again.  

 

“Whoa!”  Nori said as he was hoisted back up, pressing away from the axe head near his face.  He looked over to the wall of blades that was dangerously close.  “Dwalin, it’s getting closer!”  

 

“I know!”  Dwalin backed up then sprinted forward, hitting into the doorway with the arm and shoulder not holding Nori.  

 

They broke right through the doors as the wall of spinning blades just narrowly missed them.  Dwalin and Nori hit the ground after getting through and went rolling across the floor.  Dwalin was atop of Nori when they stopped, breathing heavily.  Nori shivered, he had chills running down his back.  Dwalin sat up and pulled Nori with him as he did.  Nori ended up in his lap.  In a second, Nori had latched into Dwalin, hugging him tightly with his face against Dwalin’s chest as he shook, fearful of what almost just happened.  Dwalin wrapped an arm around him and let Nori stay against him.  They stayed like that, together, for a few minutes before either spoke.

 

Dwalin was the first to calm down.  “You...okay, Nori?”  

 

Nori nodded, not ready to speak yet.  

 

Dwalin rubbed his back.  “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean for...maybe if I hadn’t acted so tough…”  Dwalin sighed.  “I’m sorry Smaug just tried to kill us…”

 

Nori took a deep breath.  “...I want to kill that bastard…”  He muttered.

 

Dwalin slowly broke into a grin.  “I’m glad the Almight Arsehole didn’t kill your spirit.”  

 

“I want him starve because I beat his ass.  No hearts for that fucker.  Will you stay with me and help me get to the castle?”  Nori asked as he pulled back and looked into Dwalin’s blue eyes.  

 

“I wasn’t going to.  I intended to stay at a distance, but now that he knows we’re working together, Mahal himself couldn’t stop me from staying at your side and helping you.  Not that I think he would.”  Dwalin began to get up, pulling Nori up with him.

 

“Who’s Mahal?”  Nori asked as they stood up.

 

“Hm?  Mahal is the Creator of Dwarfs.  I suppose a Human wouldn’t know him, even if you are Frerin’s friend.”  Dwalin explained as he looked around and found a ladder that led up.  “Let’s use this to get back up to the Labyrinth.  I need to get my bearings.”  

 

“Oh, Mahal is your guys’ God.  And sure.  Could you go up first?”   Nori replied as he looked up the ladder.

 

“Sure.” Dwalin nodded and started on it.  “Do humans have a God?  I’m afraid I don’t know too much about your kind.”  

 

Nori shrugged.  “Maybe?  I’m not sure what I believe yet.  Mom never forced religion on us.  She never even practiced any religion as far as I know.  Sometimes I pray when life is hard.  I believe something is listen to me, I just don’t know who or what it is.  I’m agnostic, I think.”  Nori followed up after Dwalin and quickly was happy with his decision to go second.  Dwalin had a nice ass and Nori was definitely going to be admiring it.  

 

“I’m sure whoever or whatever your Maker is, they are listening and watching out for you no matter what you think of them.  A Maker loves all its children regardless if they love the Maker back or not.”  Dwalin replied.  It wasn’t too long to the top.  He ended up popping up out of a large vase.  He crawled out then helped Nori up and out by easily picking him up.

 

“Not all humans would agree, but I like your thought better.”  Nori smiled at Dwalin as he put him down.

 

“What thought?  That the Maker loves its children no matter what?”  Dwalin asked.

 

“Yeah.  A Maker loves everyone...I’m not a Maker, but I should have loved my brothers more.  I shouldn’t have made this stupid wish.  Dori wouldn’t have ever made this wish…”  Nori sighed.

 

“You made it because you didn’t think it meant anything.  You thought it was just words you were saying that meant nothing, right?  It was just a mistake and now you’re doing your best to make it right.  That’s what matters.  Your actions, not words.”  Dwalin assured him.  He looked up at the sky.  “It’ll be getting dark soon.  We should buckle down somewhere.  I bet if we look around we can find dead trees or something to get a fire going with.  Smaug has some sort of soft spot for old, twisted trees.  They don’t grow, they just kind of appear...all dead and twisted like.  I didn’t even think about camping for the night until now.  Sorry we aren’t prepared…”

 

Nori crossed his arms and held onto himself.  It was getting cold again.  “It’s not your fault.  We were both thinking that we’d get through this no problem.  I didn’t even think about temperature shift or night or really anything.  I just thought that I wanted to save my brothers…I’d be starving and shoeless if it wasn’t for you.  I owe you.”

 

“You owe me nothing but the satisfaction of seeing Smaug lose.”  Dwalin smirked as he carried on through the labyrinth.  

 

“Oh I could definitely give you some type of satisfaction…”  Nori murmured as he followed, staring at Dwalin’s butt again.

 

“Huh?  What did you say?”  Dwalin turned his head back at Nori when he asked.

 

“Nothing.”  Nori chimed as he followed.  “Just lead the way.”  Nori had his arms crossed and was holding onto himself.  Nori was cold again and the sun was nearly set.  

 

Dwalin stopped.  “Come here.”  

 

“Yes?”  Nori’s heart almost stopped.  Had Dwalin heard his satisfaction statement?  Nori paled.  

 

Dwalin shuffled around so he could take off his furs.  Then, he took the furs and put them around Nori’s shoulders.  “Is that a bit better?”  He asked softly. 

 

“...Yes.”  Nori blushed and looked away.  Dwalin was sickeningly sweet.  Nori grinned.  He really liked Dwalin.  If only boys like Dwalin existed back home. 

 

Dwalin put an arm back around him like before.  “I have meat on my bones, I’ll stay a bit warmer than you.”  

 

They carried on in a comfortable silence.  Nori hesitantly leaned against Dwalin once more.  It was met with a small tug closer from Dwalin.  

 

“Hope I’m not too...well.  I know I’m kind of...grabbing you a lot.  I haven’t been close to anyone is years.  It’s nice not to be so…”  Dwalin took a breathe.  “If you want me to let go of you, or stop grabbing you, let me know?  If you’re uncomfortable…”

 

“I’m not.  This is...nice.  I was freezing.  Plus you saved me by throwing me over your shoulder.  I was so stunned by the machine Smaug made appear, I might have never moved…I don’t mind you grabbing me.  I know you’re not going to hurt me or anything.  Plus I bet living in that cottage in solitude was very...lonely.”  Nori answered.

 

“Very lonely.  I don’t want to be a creep.  It’s just nice to hold onto someone…”  Dwalin mumbled awkwardly.

 

Nori snickered.  “I don’t mind, at all.  Like, really don’t mind at all.  I like being held onto, especially by someone as big and warm as you.  My old science teacher says humans need human contact, like physical human contact.  I don’t know how, but it relieves stress and helps in social development?  She went over it in our baby chapter a few years ago.  But anyways, I’m sure it applies to Dwarfs, too.  Maybe you weren’t meant to be alone with how much you’ve been holding on me.”

 

Dwalin didn’t answer, but Nori did feel a pull from Dwalin to press Nori closer to him.  Nori buried himself in Dwalin’s side.  

 

The kept walking until they came upon a small open area with a few dead trees mixed up with the stones of the wall.  Dwalin let go of Nori and got to work.  He cut down branches with his axes while Nori sat on the cold stone ground and watched.  Dwalin had started a fire by the time night fell while Nori watched.  They had made some small talk while Dwalin worked.  

 

“Frerin never made one hint to me he was a Prince.  It’s so weird.”  Nori was carefully taking his braid out and brushing his hair with his fingers.  

 

“Well.  Maybe he intended to one day...or maybe he didn’t want to tell you and risk ruining your friendship if you didn’t believe him.”  

 

“Yeah.  I guess so.  He could trust me though.  I would always believe Frerin.  He’s my best friend.  When I get home i’m going to punch him in the arm.”  Nori muttered.  

 

Dwalin chuckled.  “Oh yeah?  The Tiny Tough will beat on him for not telling?”

 

“Yeah.”  Nori grinned.  “...Tiny….Tough?”

 

“Yup.  The Tiny Tough.  That’s your new name because you’re small and feisty.  Triple T for short.”  Dwalin smirked.  Between teasing Nori, he was snacking on a piece of bread.

 

Nori grinned.  “Fine, I’ll be Triple T if you be...hmmmm...Triple B.” 

 

“What’s that stand for?”  

 

“Big Buff Bear!”  Nori exclaimed.  “You were ready to tear the...what do you call Smaug again?”

 

“Almighty Arsehole.”  Dwalin rested his cheek on his hand, fully amused by Nori.

 

“Yeah, you were ready to tear the Almighty Arsehole appart!  You’re a definitely the Big Buff Bear, ready to maul Smaug and get me to the palace.  You’re basically a knight.”  Nori poked Dwalin in the chest.

 

“I am a guard.”  Dwalin informed.

 

“Ha.  Yeah…” Nori pulled his finger away and grew a bit more serious.  “I hope Smaug gets overthrown and you can have your old life back.  I mean, it won’t be perfect, not like your home used to be...but...”

 

“I understand what you’re trying to say.  Thank you.”  Dwalin’s smile faltered but didn’t disappear.  The night was nice between them.

 

Nori made a face as he met a knot in his hair while brushing his fingers through it.  “Shit...you don’t happen to have a hairbrush or comb, do you?”

 

“No.  I’m sorry.  It was one of those things I just didn’t think about.”  Dwalin rubbed the back of his head.  “I should have prepared us more.”

 

“It’s okay.  Um...could you carefully undo the knot in my hair?  It feels big.  I want to throw my hair into a bun for the night…otherwise it tangles worse.”

 

Dwalin began to blush.  “Touch...your hair?  You really want me to?”  He looked shocked.

 

“...Yes...I trust you to be gentle…”  Nori cocked an eyebrow at him, a bit confused.

 

“I...Umm...Uhh...I...yes.”  Dwalin looked downward.  “I mean.  Well.  I know you and Ferin are close...I just need to know before I touch you again.  Are you Ones?”

 

“What?”  Nori was really confused now.

 

“Your One...your mate.”  Dwalin blushed.

 

“Ohhh, like boyfriend?  He isn’t my boyfriend, just my best friend.  I mean...sometimes we get close...but not like that.  Never like that.”  Nori was beginning to blush right along with him.

 

Dwalin took a breathe of relief.  “Oh.  Okay.  I just...didn’t want to be disrespectful.  You really want me to touch your hair and work the knot out?  You’re serious about that?”

 

“Of course.  I mean we’ve clicked all day and I trust you.  I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t’ want you to.  Could you please…?”  Nori asked again.

 

Dwalin was quiet for a moment, which was a little awkward, but then he nodded.  “Okay.  I’d be...very happy to.”  

 

“Thank you.”  Nori let Dwalin’s odd behaviour drop.  

 

Dwalin went behind him and got to work.  Nori had just expected Dwalin to get the knot out.  Instead he got a bit more.  Dwalin was extremely gentle with getting the knot out and then got to work braiding pieces of his hair.  Soon Dwalin had Nori’s hair in a few different braids that he curled up into a bun.  Nori stayed quiet and let him work.  He was extremely surprised Dwalin could accomplish this with such thick fingers compared to his own.  

 

“May I have your hair band?”  Dwalin asked.

 

“Yeah…”  Nori handed it back to him and then Dwalin finished the bun up.  Nori put his hand on the bun and was shocked.  “How can you...do that?  It's so...it feels like it's all perfectly in place.”

 

“Tons of practice on my mother and with my brother.  Braids are important in our culture.”  Dwalin spoke softly.  He was acting shy.  “Thank you for letting me...I’ve never worked on another’s hair before who wasn’t my family.”

 

“It’s amazing.  Thanks.”  Nori smiled at Dwalin.  “Sooo sleep time?  That way we can move out at dawn?”

 

Dwalin smiled back kindly and nodded.  “Yeah...the ground is pretty hard.  Nori would you...well...you’re tinier than me.  Would you like to sleep on top of me?  I wouldn’t mind at all.”  Dwalin was still blushing.

 

“Yes.”  Nori jumped at the chance.  Not only would he get to not sleep on the cold ground, he’d get to be against Dwalin.  “If you don’t mind.”  

 

Dwalin shook his head no, that he wouldn’t mind.  Then he laid down next to the warm fire he made.  “I might be up for a while watching the fire if you want to sleep first.”

 

“Alright…”  Nori carefully got above him and laid against Dwalin.  Dwalin wrapped his arms around Nori and Nori practically melted into Dwalin’s chest.  Nori made a happy little noise.  “How are you still so warm?”

 

“I don’t know, I just am.”  Dwalin chuckled lowly.  

 

Nori pressed his face against Dwalin’s chest, feeling the rumbles of Dwalin’s laughter through him.  This was perfect.  It got even more perfect when Dwalin wrapped his arms around Nori.

 

“Is that okay?”  Dwalin whispered.

 

“Yeah…”  Nori breathed.  This was absolutely perfect.  If there was a good afterlife after death, he was sure it would feel like this.  

 

“Sleep.  You’re safe Nori.  I swear it.”  Dwalin slipped a hand under the furs and rubbed Nori’s back gently.

 

Nori could have practically purred.  Pleasurable shivers ran up his spine.  “Okay…”  He whispered.  “Night.”

 

“Goodnight, Nori.”  Dwalin responded.  

 

Nori was quick to fall asleep, perfectly curled atop the warm and gentle Dwarf.  He couldn't feel anything but safe with Dwalin rubbing his back like that.  Everything was absolutely, positively  _ perfect _ .

 

* * *

Smaug sat on his throne staring into a crystal ball, watching Nori and Dwalin.  He gritted his teeth.  He had wanted to terrify the both of them.  Dwalin mainly.  Smaug despised that piece of Dwarf filth.  Dwalin’s existence pissed him off to no end.

 

They had been good and scared when they were nearly torn apart by his machine, but it shouldn’t have got that close.  

 

After teleporting back to the castle, Smaug had meant to open the gates in the underground road.   Only, he couldn’t.  Smaug sent out what magic he could and none of it would open it.  Dwalin had just hacked away at it with his axes, unable to do anything, either.  It was pure luck Nori had seen the old side door.  

 

Smaug had just nearly killed his ticket to complete dominance over this wretched realm.  That unnerved him. 

 

Smaug couldn’t allow Nori to die.  

 

So much of Smaug’s magic was drained.  He needed to do something.  Things were far worse and far more desperate that he had previously believed.  Smaug needed a halfer’s heart to eat.  How could he possibly get one soon?  If only he could eat Nori instead of use him.  Or the babe, Ori, he had taken, been old enough to have a will to give.  

 

_ Wait. _

 

There was  _ one _ halfer in his grasp that was very extendable and very willful.  

 

The eldest sibling.  

 

Smaug grinned to himself.  The eldest sibling, Dori, really had cared for their younger brothers, hadn’t they?  Perhaps the eldest would want to end this quickly so the younger brothers would be safe.  

 

Smaug’s grin turned into a toothy smirk.  He’d simply  _ have _ to have the eldest for lunch tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I love comments!


	6. The Lost and The Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smaug needs to have a small change of plans due to foreseen unwanted events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't keep up the U-based Chapter names. Alternate title for this chapter was: Uncovered Ideas
> 
> -~-NOTICE!-~-
> 
> PLEASE READ:
> 
> Next week (12-4-16) will not have an update because I am finishing up my college semester and I need to write a big paper. Updates will resume the Sunday after. (12-11-16) Along with a 'Sugar Baby Blackmail' update sometime the week after that. 
> 
> I look forward to putting out more and thank you for your understanding!

# The Lost and The Found

# 

Nori was woken up while it was still dark.  He blinked and brought a hand up to rub his eyes.  The fire had gone out.  Dwalin was shaking him gently.  

 

“Nori.  We need to get up and start moving.  I hear something.”  Dwalin spoke in a soothingly soft voice in his ear.  “I need you up.”

 

“‘M awake…” Nori whispered back.  “What’s going on?”

 

Dwalin sat them up gently.  “I hear goblin voices and footsteps around us.  We need to get out of the area.  It sounds like there’s a whole lot of them.”

 

Nori was thankful he wasn’t being rushed and jostled around in a panic from this situation.  Dwalin was taking this slow.  It meant Nori’s panic mode was only mildly triggered.  “Alright.  What do we do?”  He looked up at Dwalin’s face and pulled back.  

 

_ What the fuck? _

 

“Um, wait.  Uhhh...Dwalin.”  Dwalin was about to speak, but Nori stopped him from doing so.  Nori rubbed his eyes and looked back at Dwalin’s face.  Dwalin’s eyes specifically. 

 

_ They’re glowing? _

 

Nori was shocked.  Dwalin’s eyes were literally glowing blue.  “Are...are you okay?”  Nori pulled back from Dwalin and fell off Dwalin’s lap, onto the ground.

 

Dwalin looked confused.  “What?  Yes...I mean, I’m tired.  Don’t get me wrong.  I didn’t get much sleep, but I’m fine.”

 

“But you’re eyes are...they’re all shiny and glowly and weird and stuff.”  Nori bit his lower lip.  He had seen horror movies where people’s eyes glowed when they were possessed.  Was Smaug controlling Dwalin?

 

Dwalin tried to not smile, but couldn’t help but side smirk.  “Dwarfs’ eyes glow in the dark, Nori.  Smaug can’t control me, thank Mahal, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

 

“Oh.” Nori blushed and looked down.  “How?”

 

“I’ll explain when we’re safe, okay?”  Dwalin stood up slowly and took his hand.

 

“Okay.  Sorry.”  Nori got up with Dwalin’s help.  He then pulled Dwalin’s furs tight around his shoulders.  It was still cold.  They stood there for a moment.  Nori was able to hear the steps and whispers out somewhere in the darkened Labyrinth around them.  There were no stars, nothing to help them see.  Dwalin was definitely not possessed then.  He wouldn’t have woken Nori up if he was, anyways.  That put Nori at ease.  Nori would follow Dwalin, regardless, but if Dwalin was possessed, it would lead to bad consequences.  “How do we get around when we can hardly see?  I mean I can make out the walls but…”

 

“Huh?  Nori, how can you see anything?  You’re a human.  The Labyrinth should be pitch black for you.  Actually...your eyes are glowing a little bit like mine.  You can see a little.  How?”   Dwalin was stunned as he looked back into Nori’s eyes that were twinkling gold.

 

“I don’t know.  I just can.  I can hardly see, but I can make out your face and a little bit of our surroundings.”  Nori shrugged a bit.  “I’m sorry, Dwalin.  I just don’t know.”

 

“Hm…”  Dwalin looked around.  “We’ll try and figure this out when we’re safe.”

 

Nori looked down a pathway as a line of glowing blue began to head towards them.  “What’s that?  A glow stick?”

 

“Shit.”  Dwalin hissed.  “Glow crystal.  A goblin is coming, let’s get moving before it sees us.”

 

Dwalin kept Nori’s hand in his and started down the pathway behind them.  They kept quiet as they went.  A lot of them time they were hiding and moving slowly out of the way of oncoming goblins.

 

Goblins were disgusting with their discoloured skin and jagged teeth.  Nori pressed close to Dwalin when the goblins passed them.  There were so many chances that the goblins could have just turned a tiny bit towards Dwalin and Nori, to see them, but it never happened.  

 

It wasn’t long before the Labyrinth began to light up with the morning sun and warmed up a bit.  

 

Nori wondered if Dwalin had actually slept.  The Dwarf was yawning and rubbing his eyes.

 

They had made it far.  Now the Labyrinth pathways consisted of dense hedges and off-white bricks.  Nori stopped.  “Hey, Dwalin?”

 

“Hm?  Something wrong?”  Dwalin stopped with him.  

 

“No.  Well.  Maybe?  You look exhausted.  Why don’t we stop for a couple of hours?  We haven’t passed a goblin in a while and I think we’re pretty safe.  Let’s have breakfast and then why don’t you take a nap?  You’re no use to me all tired like this, big guy.”  Nori teased with a smirk.

 

“Hm…”  Dwalin let out a little grunt.  “Maybe just breakfast.  I think we could make it to the center today if we haul arse.”

 

“Yeah, but it doesn’t seem too far.  Besides, we have all of today and tomorrow.  Plus we have until about midday the day after tomorrow since I started the seventy two hour clock mid afternoon yesterday.  A nap for a few hours really wouldn’t hurt.  I can make sure we’re safe.” Nori smiled and plopped down on the ground.

 

“Well...maybe.”  Dwalin grinned and sat down in front of Nori.  “We’ll definitely make it.  I know where we are.  That’s why I don’t want to sleep, because we can make it.  I’m excited.”

 

Nori took out some bread for himself and Dwalin.  “Me too, but if Smaug sends anything at us, we both need to be on our toes.  Here, take some bread.”  He held a piece out.

 

“I really don’t want to sleep though.”  Dwalin took it and immediately gobbled it up.  “Mm, thank you.  Sorry, I was hungry.” He said through a big mouthful of bread.

 

Nori laughed.  “Slow down, you’ll choke.”  

 

“Will not.”  Dwalin said, once he had gulped it all down.  He laid down on the ground.  His eyes slowly closed.

 

“I thought you weren’t going to sleep.”  Nori teased as he ate his own bread at a slower pace.

 

“I’m not.  Just resting my eyes while you eat.”  Dwalin murmured.

 

“Alright.  I’ll let you know when I’m done.”  Nori watched Dwalin.

 

“Mhmm.”  Dwalin gave as a reply.  

 

After a few minutes, Nori heard light snoring.  He giggled to himself.  Nori took Dwalin’s furs off of himself and gently tucked it around Dwalin’s chest.  

 

“My turn to watch over you while you sleep.”  Nori whispered above him.  Nori hung over Dwalin’s face and looked at his peaceful features.  He stared at Dwalin’s eyes for a little while before his eyes traveled down to Dwalin’s lips.  

 

Nori licked his own lips as he looked at Dwalin’s.  Nori wish he could move the tiniest bit forward and lock them in a kiss with his.  That’s as far as he had ever gone with anyone, no matter how much he wanted and thought of more.  

 

Nori pulled back and sighed.  He really shouldn’t be thinking about this.  Even if he thought that he could totally take Dwalin just like they did on those porn VHS movies he had gotten in the thrift store.  The old ladies running it didn’t realize they put them out.  Or maybe they did?  Either way, Nori bet he could take Dwalin like that.  He definitely wanted to, Dwalin was sweet and handsome.

 

Nori rubbed his face.  

 

_ Stop thinking about this.  It’s not faaaaiiiir. _

 

“Why do you have to be sooo perfect?” Nori groaned.  He leaned against Dwalin as he looked around where they ended up in the Labyrinth.  It was a little hedge garden around them with some stone carved seats.  Paths branched off all around them.

 

Nori wondered what this place was originally when the Labyrinth was underground.  Nori had wondered that about a lot of the places they had passed.  He hoped one day things could be fixed, for Dwalin’s sake.  Even if it meant Frerin, Dis, and Thorin moving back here and leaving Nori alone in the human realm.

 

It was peaceful for more than an hour.  Nori had watched the last of his phone battery finally die in that time.  He perked up when he heard some footsteps.  Nori drew his knives and got up slowly.  

 

“Who’s there?”  Nori called out as a shadowy figure approached.  Chills ran up his spine as he begged it not to be Smaug.  Nori’s prayers were answered.

 

“Hello young dwarf.  My apologies for startling you, but have you, by any chance seen a hobbit in the area?”  Asked an old man in grey.

 

“Huh?  Um...I’m not a dwarf, old man, I’m a human.  Also, I don’t know what a hobbit is.”  Nori lowered his knives.

 

The old man chuckled.  “And I am a wizard.  Gandalf, at your service.  And if you could be at mine, a hobbit is a small human-looking creature, usually with rather curly hair, and giant feet, also covered in curly hair.  Have you seen him?”

 

“Noooo…”  Nori dragged out and frowned.  “That sounds really weird…”

 

Dwalin stirred.  “Huh? Whaasit going on?”  The Dwarf rubbed his eyes.

 

“There’s a wizard here looking for a hobbit.  Dwalin, you’re supposed to sleep.  You’re exhausted.  I can handle this.”  Nori told him.

 

Dwalin blinked his eyes awake.  “What!?”  He got up very quickly.  

 

“Dwalin, I said I have this.”  Nori felt like he hadn’t done a good job of watching over Dwalin if he was so worried.  “I thought I was doing okay…”

 

“No, Nori, you’re fine, just...By my beard!  Gandalf!  You old coot!  Long time no see!”  Dwalin grinned and went forward, pulling Gandalf into a crushing bear hug.

 

“I thought you said not to trust strange creatures in the Labyrinth, Dwalin?  Who’s this?”  Nori bit the inside of his lip as he watched them, wishing Dwalin was holding onto him instead.

 

“Nori, this is Gandalf the Grey.  He isn’t from the Labyrinth, he’s from an outer realm.  What are you doing here?”  Dwalin questioned as he pulled back from his bear hug.

 

Gandalf was grinning.  “I’ve brung Master Baggins back.  Although I’m afraid we got separated on the way here.”

 

“Bilbo’s back?!  But why?!  How?!  What’s going on?!”  Dwalin pressed.  It was clear the Dwarf was excited.

 

“What  _ is  _ going on.”  Nori crossed his arms.  He didn’t like to be out of the loop.

 

Gandalf looked around before leaning in towards them.  “Can’t you feel it?  Smaug’s power over the land is fading fast.  The Labyrinth is fighting harder.  Prince Thorin will be coming back to reclaim the land.”  

 

“Yes! Yes, I knew it!  Yes!”  Dwalin grinned.  “We’re going to get home back!”

 

“As long as Smaug doesn’t refuel his power that is…”  Gandalf said with a frown.

 

“He won’t!”  Dwalin pulled Nori up next to him.  “Gandalf, this is Nori.  He’s the next runner of the Labyrinth.  Smaug’s prey.  But he has so much time, if I can help him get to the castle, Smaug will miss this feeding!”  

 

“And then Thorin will be able to reclaim your homeland!”  Gandalf exclaimed, his frown turning into a grin along with Dwalin’s.  “I need to find Bilbo, we’ll meet up with Prince Thorin.  Bilbo has an old sword with runes engraved that could destroy Smaug so I must make sure they meet up.  You focus on your quest ahead, and may good fortune be with you!”

 

“And also with you!  I can’t believe this is really happening!”  Dwalin picked up Nori and spun him around.  “Nori, you’re the greatest creature to ever walk into my life!”

 

That made Nori smile inwardly.  Nori was beginning to feel a bit neglected with the banter between Dwalin and Gandalf, but this made him feel better.  He held onto Dwalin’s shoulders tightly as Dwalin pulled Nori against his chest.  “I feel the same about you.  I’d have never made it so far without you, Dwalin.”  Nori blushed.

 

Gandalf’s grin turned into a smirk.  “I’ll leave you boys alone.  Good luck.  Get there safely.”

 

“We will.”  Dwalin answered.

 

After Gandalf went on, Dwalin grabbed his furs off the ground.  He and Nori started on their journey.  

 

“I can’t believe this is really happening,” Dwalin started.  “It’s all thanks to you, Nori.  Had you kept thirteen hours only, you’d have lost and been the Almighty Arsehole’s lunch already.  Instead we get a fighting chance because of you.  I can’t wait to see Thorin again, and the castle.  Home...family...old friends... Nori, you’ve given me reason to be alive again.”

 

Nori blushed hard and looked away.  “I’m not...I’m not worth that compliment.  I wished my brothers away.  I did a horrible thing...It is turning out good, but I was still horrible...”

 

“But you’re choosing to make it right and in doing so, saving your family, my race, and my home.  You do deserve it.  Look how much you’ve beat yourself up on this trip.  You’ve suffered enough.  Take the bloody compliment.  Every dwarf will feel gratitude and kinship towards you.  When we win, I’ll make sure you get all your heart desires, everything else you need, your brother, and bring you all home, personally.”  Dwalin insisted.

 

Nori lightly touched the bun in his hair that Dwalin had braided the night before.  “I know what I want but I doubt I could take it… let’s just be happy our lives will be fixed and figure it from there.  Right now, I’m happy enough being with you.”  He didn’t think he could bare to look at Dwalin with how red his cheeks were.  Dwalin definitely had no clue how easily he was strumming on Nori’s heart strings.  Nori grimace.  He didn’t want to put it that way, but that was what was happening.  

 

_ Heart strings.  Ew. _

 

“We’ll figure it out later.”  Dwalin agreed, beaming from ear to ear as they went.

 

Soon, they began to pass goblins again.  Despite the situation, they still managed to converse in whispers.

 

“Frick.  Do you think they’re all over because of Gandalf and his Hobbit?”  Nori asked as he pressed close against a wall to keep a goblin down the aisle from seeing him.  He slid closer to Dwalin slowly.

 

“Gandalf and Thorin’s Hobbit, you mean?”  Dwalin corrected with a chuckle.  “Yes.”

 

“Thorin’s Hobbit?  Wait, wait, wait.  What?   _ Thorin’s  _ Hobbit.  Like Thorin is with this guy?  Like dating?  Or courting.  Whatever you call it.”  Nori was a bit stunned.

 

Dwalin put a hand over his mouth to keep from chuckling too loudly and alerting the goblins.  “Yeah.  They were engaged.”

 

“Holy shit, no jokes?”  Nori still couldn’t believe his ears.

 

“No jokes to be had here.  Promise.  Their wedding had been set.  They were going to merge the Hobbit Realm of the Shire and the Dwarf Realm.  Would have meant good trade and a lot of Hobbit/Dwarf relationships validated.  It wasn’t just political or anything arranged.  They really were Ones.  I mean originally when they met,Thorin couldn’t stand Bilbo’s guts, but eventually the warmed up to each other and bam.  They were hit by actual feelings of Oneness.”  Dwalin explained as he and Nori slid far enough to be able to get down a different pathway.  

 

“Whoa.  I never pegged Thorin as gay, honestly…”  Nori said as they went down the new path. 

 

“Males together isn’t well like in the Human Realm, is it?  Not from how you talk about it…”  Dwalin made an uncomfortable face.

 

“No, it is.  Or...well it should be.  Being gay is normal.  But there’s a lot of people who are assholes and beg to differ in the Human Realm.  It’s fucking ridiculous.”  Nori was starting to feel a bit heated up.

 

Dwalin didn’t seem pleased about that.  “How archaic.  What do they say to if a male gets another male pregnant?” 

 

“Uh.  What?”  Nori gave Dwalin a confused look.

 

“If a male gets pregnant?  What happens?”  Dwalin asked again.

 

“Uhhh...Males...don’t get pregnant in my world?  Immediate born males, I mean.  Ones that become males when they realize they should have been male and were born in the wrong bodies can...but I don’t know how many transgendered males make that choice.  I don’t know enough to answer your question.”  Nori rubbed the back of his head.

 

“That’s okay.  I meant the immediate born males, before they have a conscience will to be the real them.  Dwarfs, no matter male or female, can become pregnant.”  Dwalin explained.

 

“Oh...Humans uh...can’t.”  

 

“You can’t get pregnant?”  Dwalin clarified.

 

“Yes, I can never be pregnant.  My body isn’t made with that ability.”  Nori blushed.  

 

“Huh...your species is more hobbit-like then.  Only female hobbits produce heirs but they aren’t against male and male relationships and female and female relationships.  At least they haven’t been for years upon years.”  

 

“That’s pretty cool.  I feel like I should live here instead.  No more unacceptance of how I was born and who I love.  I don’t care if people are asses, I mean.  Since there is a lot of people like that unfortunately...but it would be nice to not be penalized by society for who I want to marry.”  Nori murmured.

 

“Don’t let anyone get in your way.  Make friends with people who will support you.  I’m surprised there is any creature in this world which isn’t a Goblin, Orc, or Dragon who hates the love between two creatures.”  Dwalin ordered.  

 

“Yeah.  That’s why I have Frerin.  And...you now?”  Nori asked hesitantly.

 

A smile tugged at Dwalin’s lips.  “Mhmm.  You have me now.  I won’t let anyone get to you and I’ll fight for you to be happy.”

 

There was a yell from behind them and they both quickly turned to see six goblins behind them with staffs that had tiny, pink creatures with giant teeth.  

 

Dwalin drew his axes while Nori drew his knifes.  Dwalin sized them up.  “Nori, I don’t like your odds with the knives and their longer weapons.”

 

“Not exactly, close range fighters, are they?”  Nori gritted his teeth.  He really didn’t want to get bit by one of those pink things on the sticks.

 

“Nope.  Those little buggers hurt bad when they bite.  I got this.  Head down this path, go left, hide under the first hedge you see.  I’ll meet you.  If I can get you a staff, you can do some damage on the next group of goblins we come across.  Promise.”  Dwalin replied lowly as the goblins started running towards them and yelling at them.

 

“Got it.  Make some heads roll for me.”  Nori started to walk backwards, then turned and ran.  He was about to go left at the end of the path when more goblins with staffs appeared that way.  “Welp, guess I’m going right.”  He turned and ran in the opposite direction as the second group of goblins ran after him.

 

Dwalin was too preoccupied with the first group of goblins to notice that Nori had went in the other direction.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Smaug had positively had it with the morning.  Everything was going wrong.  

 

In the night he had felt a presence.  A familiar one.  

 

Smaug couldn’t locate the Wizard or the Hobbit who had used to live here, years ago, but he sure remembered that different feel of magic.  Gandalf had to be masking the both of them.  The only reason he had been able to find Gandalf was because he had been already watching Dwalin and Nori.  The old Wizard had smacked right into his prey.  Their conversation told him everything that he had feared was going to be coming very true, very soon.

 

Smaug needed to be ready.  He had already called for Balin to bring Dori.

 

“Perfect timing.  Welcome, Dori.  And little Ori.  How are the two of you enjoying my castle.”  Smaug asked in mock-enthusiasm.  He did enjoy seeing creatures look pained and drained.  

 

Dori was the perfect picture of that, forced into dwarf clothing with his youngest brother pressed tightly to his chest.  “It’s...alright.  I guess.”  Dori was standing in front of Smaug’s throne as Smaug lounged on it, taking in every last detail of this amusing sight.

 

“What a pity.  Not many outsiders get to see my castle.  Not even most of my subjects who live in my Realm.”  Smaug tsked.

 

“...What do you want.  I’m not stupid.  You’re not just mocking me to mock me.”  Dori shut his eyes tightly, as if the answer would attack him.  

 

Maybe it would.

 

“Oh, you’re no fun.”  Smaug pouted.  “But Nori, however, is.”

 

“Leave him be.  Please leave my younger brother be.  He didn’t mean for this to happen.”  

 

“That’s what they all say.  Maybe it’s the truth, but it’s too late.  This is what he wished for.  It’s his punishment and gift from me.”  The sides of Smaug’s lips curled upward and he flashed a toothy grin.

 

“Please don’t eat him!  Please!  I love my little brother!  Please!”  Dori begged.

 

“Mm, someone has ruined my fun.  Told you all the rules before I could do it myself.”  Smaug’s eyes shifted to Balin at the door as his smile fell.  “Bad Dwarf, don’t think I won’t punish you, even after all your servitude over the years, for doing that.”

 

“Please, I need my brother.  He deserved to be safe and sound at home.  We all do.”  Dori continued to beg.

 

“Oh really?  ALl three of you will not be making it home.  Would you let me eat your heart instead of his?  When he loses, that’s exactly what I intend to do to him.  Would you end his game short and give me yours to save the one who sent the three of you to this fate?  Hm?  Answer me.  This isn’t rhetorical.”  Smaug demanded.

 

Dori went quiet and glanced over at Balin.  “I…I….if...if he ever asked me to let you eat my heart instead, I would happily trade places to save him.  But...unless that’s the case, I don’t want to talk about it…I won’t...give myself up unless he needs me too.”  Dori replied quietly.  

 

“That’s really all it takes?  Nori trading himself for you to get off the hook?”  Smaug chuckled.

 

“Yes…”  Dori replied weakly.  He looked dizzy.

 

“Wonderful.  I just thought I’d ask.”  Smaug grinned.  “Balin, take this ugly creature out of my sight.”

 

Balin didn’t say anything, but came forward quickly to pull Dori and little Ori away.

 

That went easy.  It was about time something went right.  No doubt Smaug would be able to get his hands on Dori’s heart.  He was certain of it.  Perfect.  The new plan was begun.  Now onto phase two with Dwalin.  It would be so much easier now if Nori lost.  He would need to make it happen.  It would mean no matter what, Smaug would have a heart to devour.  Smaug just needed Dwalin out of the way...or possibly even get Dwalin to help him.  By now his goblins must have separated Nori and Dwalin.

 

Smaug got up and headed to his chambers.  He would need a little help from an old friend to put this phase into action.

 

* * *

 

“Nori!”  Dwalin called again.  He had quickly dispatched the group of goblins that had attacked him and went to check the spot where he had told Nori to wait.  Nori was completely gone.  With every minute that passed, Dwalin grew more and more worried about his new...whatever Nori was to him.

 

Nori had put his fate in Dwalin’s hands when he began the Labyrinth.  Nori had trusted him so much and it was show in every smile Dwalin had been graced with.  Nori let him touch and braid that silky, smooth, red hair that only a lover should have gotten the honors to do.  

 

Now he had no clue where that happy little ball of fire, whom was Nori, was, and it was driving him mad.  Dwalin had torn through this whole section of the Labyrinth, leaving many dead goblins, he had previously been avoiding, in his wake.  The more of them dead, the less of them to hurt Nori.  

 

Dwalin knew Nori could mostly likely defend himself against the goblins, but if Smaug himself went after Nori, that was trouble.  

 

If Nori didn’t run into Smaug, could Nori do the Labyrinth alone?  Maybe.  Nori seemed capable.  Dwalin just didn’t like that idea.  One wrong turn could bring a creature halfway across the Labyrinth before they realized how far in the wrong direction they were.  

 

Dwalin made it to a clearing full of large fallen rocks walls that were taken over by the beginnings of the Labyrinth’s forest.  “Nori!  Are you here?!”  He really hoped that Nori hadn’t went into the forest alone.  

 

“Dwalin!”  Came Nori’s voice.  

 

Dwalin turned to see Nori stepping out from behind a ruined rock wall.  “Nori!”  Dwalin ran towards him as relief washed over him.

 

Then Nori changed.  Dwalin slowed down as his relief halted and fear set in, followed by anger.

 

“Where.  Is.  Nori.”  Dwalin growled.

 

Smaug chuckled.  “What is it Dwalin?  You seemed so happy to see me a second ago.”

 

“I thought Dragons could only switch between their Dragon Form and their Walker Form.  Also, your magic is dwindling right now.  How did you do that?  How were you Nori for a second?”  Dwalin demanded as he drew his axes.

 

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly tell you how.  I’ll tell you a little, though.  It was a magical gift from a very important friend.  I was gifted it just over an hour ago as a little magical loan.”  Smaug grinned.

 

Dwalin gritted his teeth.  He didn’t think Smaug had any magical friends, but if he did, that was trouble.

 

“Oh, come now.  You really think the High Council of Fae would have let me stay after taking over this miserable Realm if I didn’t have a standing with some of them?  Why didn’t they come order me back into my own Realm?  Ever think about that?”  Smaug stepped closer to Dwalin.

 

Dwalin had thought for hours, days, even months about that.  The Council was made of direct descendants of all the makers of the Realms.  Every single member was immortal.  The Dwarf Realm even had Durin, who was the first of their kingdom’s crown line sitting in the Council on the Realm’s behalf.  The only reason Dwalin could come up with as to why the Council did not order Smaug back to his Realm, was because this could have been prophesied in the Book of Existence.  Not even the Council were allowed to change those outcomes.  

 

“Nevermind all that, though.  That’s not why I’m here.”  Smaug said, bringing Dwalin back from his thoughts.

 

At least Smaug being here meant he didn’t have Nori.

 

“Then why are you here?”  Dwalin snapped.

 

Smaug’s eye twitched.  He really hated Dwalin.  “Oh, my being here is a gift to you.”  He hissed.  Smaug took a breath.  Calm.  Cool.  Collected.  He had to make Dwalin want what he wanted.  “I’m here because I need you to stay away from little Nori.  You ruining everything.”

 

“By Mahal’s beard, you don’t really think telling me this bull shit would actually work, did you?”  Dwalin didn’t look amused.

 

“Really?  And here I thought you would just give up and go back to that musty little shack on the edge of my Labyrinth.”  Smaug said sarcastically and rolled his eyes.  “No, you disgusting little troll.  I have a little deal for you.  A good one.  One that doesn’t end with a certain someone special’s little redhead dying.  I mean, even if he won, who’s to say I won’t just decide to kill him for the sport of it.”  

 

“You can’t!”  Dwalin barked and tried to jump forward and strike down his axe against Smaug. 

 

The Dragon simply disappeared and reappeared behind him.  “Someone is very touchy about the boy he wants.  Nori belongs to Frerin, you know?”

 

“No, he doesn’t.  He told me they weren’t Ones.”  Dwalin lunged at Smaug again.

 

Smaug disappeared and reappeared sitting atop a stone.  “Really?  I keep my eye on my prey.  I’ve seen weeks of them courting.  I know how you Dwarfs love your hair playing with each other.  Frerin always does Nori’s hair.  I have to say the nights they spent with one another were my personal favourites to watch.  Watching Frerin press Nori’s hips down into the mattress is extremely...thrilling.”   

 

“You’re lying!  Nori said he wasn’t with Frerin!”  Dwalin yelled at him.  Dwalin believed Nori was honest with him.

 

“Do you always believe cute little redheads that flutter their eyes as you?  Maybe I should try it, hmm?”  Smaug chuckled from his perch.  He made a crystal ball appear and threw it at Dwalin’s feet.  “Watch for yourself.”

 

Dwalin hesitantly put his axes back in his harness and picked up the crystal ball.

 

Smaug did play with images a bit to turn a simple sleepover between Frerin and Nori that ended in a tickle fight and a few kissed into something much more heated than simple friendship would look.  Smaug changed it to have Frerin’s hands shoving into Nori’s pjs and feature their mouths locked in a kiss that was in no way innocent.  

 

“Are you sure they aren’t Ones?  That’s nightly, dear.”  Smaug smirked.  

 

“Why are you showing me this…”  Dwalin muttered.  

 

Smaug could tell by Dwalin’s face that he was heartbroken by what he was viewing.  Part of Smaug was enjoying this and wanted to last, but he had to get onto his next practiced lines to manipulate Dwalin into doing what he wanted.

 

Smaug appeared back in front of Dwalin.  “Because it’s the truth.  He’s using you to get through the Labyrinth.  He doesn’t actually care about y-AK!”  Smaug quickly held his jaw.  

 

Dwalin had thrown the crystal right at Smaug’s face and hit Smaug’s cheek.

 

“Liar!  That’s all lies you wretched beast!  Nori is innocent and cares for me!  I won’t take your deal!  Nori will beat your arse and then Thorin will destroy you!  We’re going to take back Erebor!  I’m going to hunt down every creature you brought here with you and kill them!  I can’t wait to make a new cloak out of your scaly hyde!”  Dwalin barked at him, beard bristling.  He was pissed off.

 

Smaug glared at Dwalin with the purest of hatred.  “You shouldn’t have done that.  I’ll make you regret it.”  He threatened lowly as he lowered his hand.

 

Smaug snapped and down fell a large goblin upon Dwalin’s head from above the Dwarf.

 

“Arhg!”  Dwalin yelled.

 

Dwalin thrashed around as the goblin beat him with its fists.  After a short scuffle, Dwalin was grabbing for his axes while the goblin held Dwalin’s neck trying to strangle him.  It was obvious Dwalin was the stronger of the two.  As a last resort effort, the goblin bit down on Dwalin’s right ear.  Dwalin screamed and finally pulled out an axe.  He buried his axe in the goblin’s side with a grunt and pushed him off his ear.  The goblin took a chunk from Dwalin’s ear with it as it did.  Dwalin pushed him back and ripped the axe from the goblin’s side, then buried it in the goblin's temple.

 

Smaug watched with his hands behind his back, grinning once more.  “Fighting like rats…” He tsked.  “How fitting.”

 

Dwalin looked back at Smaug, holding his bleeding ear.

 

Smaug chuckled.  “Still think Nori will want you with a mangled ear?  It makes you look even uglier than you used to be.”

 

 

“Shut your trap.  At least I’m not a shit eating tyrant who knows he’s about to finally lose.  You’re helpless enough to try to actually get  _ me _ to do something that would benefit you.”  Dwalin replied.  “I’m not afraid of you!  You’re not going to win this!”

 

Actual steam was rising from between Smaug’s teeth.  He spoke through clenched teeth.  “You are so fucking lucky I have a deal with your brother to keep me from destroying you, myself.  I want to eat you so badly.”

 

Dwalin raised an eyebrow.  “You have a deal with Balin?!  Since when?!”

 

“Ever since you decided to live outside my Labyrinth.  I was ready to eat you the day you walked out of it.  Balin made himself useful and stopped me.  But just me.  He never made any deal involving any of my creatures.”  Smaug snapped his fingers and a large horde of goblins appeared around them, all armed.  “Have fun.  I’ll take  _ good  _ care of Nori in your absence.”

 

Smaug walked backward into his horde.  Fuck the plan.  He wasn’t going to get any help from Dwalin, so Dwalin would just have to go.  Nori would lose without Dwalin’s help to get to the center.  Smaug could throw up a few challenges that would waste Nori’s hours.  He had to concentrate on finding Bilbo and Gandalf.  Then he would have to make sure that Thorin, Frerin, and Dis were found if they were in the Labyrinth.  He didn’t have time for Dwalin to screw with his plans.  Dwalin would no doubt be overwhelmed by the goblins.

 

‘Stay away from Nori!”  Dwalin yelled as he drew his other axe and got ready.  

  
“Goodbye, Dwalin.”  Smaug called then disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I love comments/questions/tag suggestions!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I've been thinking about this AU for months. I finally decided it was just time to write it.
> 
> This will update every Sunday. I have a few chapters pre-done just in case life starts getting in the way.
> 
> If I'm missing any tags you feel I should add or any mistakes in the grammar, please feel free to comment them below! Thank you again!
> 
> Update about other works: Right now "It's Okay to Run" is on hiatus because I didn't flesh it out well enough. I know where it's going but I'm having a tough time transitioning it to the next parts. Currently a friend and I are bouncing ideas about it. I fully intend to resume it by the summer.
> 
> "Sugar Baby Blackmail" was fully written but my files were lost on my old laptop. I do intend to rewrite chapters 2 and 3, but I need to get back into the mindset to write it. It should be done by January.


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